RITA Medical Systems Announces Date for Fourth Quarter, Year-End Results Release and Conference CallMOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Jan. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- RITA Medical Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: RITA) today announced plans to release its fourth quarter and year-end financial results for the periods ended December 31, 2002, on Wednesday, January 29, 2003, at 7:30 a.m. (Eastern), and to host a conference call to be broadcast live on the Internet at 11:30 a.m. (Eastern) that same day.

Those interested in listening to the broadcast of the RITA conference call may access the webcast via a link provided at the Company's website at www.ritamedical.com. Web participants are encouraged to go to the web site at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the call to register, download and install any necessary audio software. An online webcast replay of the call will also be available for 10 days following the broadcast by accessing the same link.

About RITA Medical Systems

RITA Medical Systems develops, manufactures and markets innovative products for patients with solid cancerous or benign tumors. The proprietary RITA system uses radiofrequency energy to heat tissue to a high enough temperature to ablate it or cause cell death. While the Company's current focus is on liver cancer and metastatic bone cancer, the Company believes that its minimally invasive technology may in the future be applied to other types of tumors, including tumors of the lung, breast, uterus, prostate and kidney. The Company has received regulatory clearance in major markets worldwide, including the United States. In March 2000, RITA became the first radiofrequency ablation company to receive specific FDA clearance for unresectable liver lesions in addition to its previous general FDA clearance for the ablation of soft tissue. In October 2002, RITA again became the first company to receive specific FDA clearance, this time, for the palliation of pain associated with metastatic lesions involving bone. The Company has sold over 40,000 of its disposable devices throughout the world.

The statements in this news release related to the company's plans to extend its technology to applications beyond the liver are forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. Information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

RITA is a trademark of RITA Medical Systems, Inc.

For further information please contact: investors, Matt Clawson, matt@allencaron.com , or media, Len Hall, len@allencaron.com , both of Allen &

Caron Inc, +1-949-474-4300, for RITA Medical Systems, Inc.; or Don Stewart, Chief Financial Officer of RITA Medical Systems, Inc., +1-650-314-3400, dstewart@ritamed.com .

SOURCE RITA Medical Systems, Inc.