It is important to be able to recognize the presence of these changes and then identify them for several reasons:

• If the changes are pathological, their identification may aid the physician in diagnosing a specific condition.
• If the changes are not pathological, their identification alerts the physician to the fact that the changes are present, thus avoiding a possible misdiagnosis.
• If reactive, it indicates that although the cells are functioning normally, they are reacting to a stimulus. Indicating the presence of such cells may aid in determining the diagnosis or monitoring the course of disease once a diagnosis has been made.