Rita Medical Systems Announces Second Quarter 2005 Earnings Release Date and Conference Call

FREMONT, Calif., July 21, 2005 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- RITA Medical Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: RITA) today announced that it will release financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2005, before the market open on Tuesday, August 9, 2005. The Company will also host a conference call and webcast on Tuesday, August 9, 2005 at 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the Company's second quarter results, outlook for the remainder of 2005, and current corporate developments. The dial-in number for the conference call is 800-779-0375 for domestic participants and 210-234-0001 for international participants; the passcode for both numbers is "RITA."

Persons interested in viewing the slides that accompany the webcast of the RITA conference call may access the webcast via a link provided at the Company's website at www.ritamedical.com. An audio replay of the conference call will also be available beginning approximately one hour after the call's conclusion and will remain available for 7 days. The audio replay can be accessed by dialing 800-308-7859 for domestic callers and 402-220-3843 for international callers (no passcode is needed). An online replay of the webcast will be available for one year immediately following the broadcast by accessing the same link. Webcast 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.

About RITA Medical Systems, Inc.

RITA Medical Systems develops, manufactures and markets innovative products for cancer patients including radiofrequency ablation (RFA) systems for treating cancerous tumors as well as percutaneous vascular and spinal access systems. The Company's oncology product lines include implantable ports, some of which feature its proprietary Vortex^® technology; tunneled central venous catheters; safety infusion sets and peripherally inserted central catheters used primarily in cancer treatment protocols. The proprietary RITA system uses radiofrequency energy to heat tissue to a high enough temperature to ablate it or cause cell death. In March 2000, RITA became the first RFA 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 RITA Medical Systems website is at www.ritamedical.com.

SOURCE RITA Medical Systems, Inc.

Stephen Pedroff, VP Marketing Communications of RITA Medical Systems, Inc., +1-510-771-0400, or spedroff@ritamed.com;
or investors, Doug Sherk, dsherk@evcgroup.com,
or Jennifer Beugelmans, +1-415-896-6820,
or media, Steve DiMattia, +1-646-277-8706, or sdimattia@evcgroup.com,
all of EVC Group,
for RITA Medical Systems, Inc.