RITA Medical Systems Announces First Quarter Results Release And Conference Call Date

RITA Medical Systems Announces First Quarter Results Release And Conference Call Date

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- RITA Medical Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: RITA) today announced plans to release its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2004, at 8:55 a.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, April 29, 2004, and to host a conference call to be webcast live on the Internet at 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time that same day.

Those interested in listening to the webcast 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 site at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the call to register, download and install any necessary audio software. An online replay of the call will also be available for one year immediately following the broadcast by accessing the same link.

About RITA Medical Systems, Inc.

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 nearly 60,000 of its disposable devices throughout the world.

The statements in this news release related to the Company's plans (i) to extend its technology to applications beyond the liver, and (ii) to expand its product line with new and modified products 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 risks is included in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

For further information, please contact: investors, Jill Bertotti of Allen & Caron Inc, +1-949-474-4300, jill@allencaron.com, 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.