EXHIBIT 5.1

                        [DORSEY & WHITNEY LLP LETTERHEAD]

                                   May 2, 2000

Novoste Corporation
3890 Steve Reynolds Boulevard
Norcross, Georgia 30093

      Re: Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-35082)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

      We have acted as counsel to Novoste Corporation, a Florida corporation
(the "Company"), in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the
registration statement, as amended at the time of its effectiveness referred to
as the "Registration Statement") filed by the Company under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), relating to the registration of 1,650,000
shares (the "Shares"), of the Company's common stock, $.01 par value per share
(the "Common Stock").

      As such counsel, we have participated in the preparation of the
Registration Statement and have examined originals or copies, certified or
otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such documents, corporate records,
certificates of public officials and other instruments and have conducted such
other investigations of fact and law as we have deemed relevant and necessary to
form a basis for the opinions hereinafter expressed. In conducting such
examination, we have assumed (i) that all signatures are genuine, (ii) that all
documents and instruments submitted to us as copies conform with the originals,
and (iii) the due execution and delivery of all documents where due execution
and delivery are a prerequisite to the effectiveness thereof. As to any facts
material to this opinion, we have relied upon statements and representations of
officers and other representatives of the Company and certificates of public
officials and have not independently verified such facts.

      Based solely upon the foregoing, it is our opinion that the Shares to be
sold by the shareholders of the Company as described in the Registration
Statement have been validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.



Novoste Corporation
May 2, 2000
Page 2

      We are admitted to the Bar of the State of New York, and we express no
opinion with respect to the laws of any other jurisdiction, except that we have
made what we believe, for purposes of our opinion above, to be an appropriate
investigation of the Florida Business Corporation Act.

      We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement, and to the reference to our firm under the heading
"Legal Matters" in the Prospectus constituting part of the Registration
Statement relating to the registration of the Shares.

                                                Very truly yours,

                                                /s/ Dorsey & Whitney LLP

SIT/KTC