SECURITIES & EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                             ----------------------

                                  SCHEDULE 13G
                                 (Rule 13d-102)

             INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED PURSUANT
           TO RULES 13d-1(b), (c) AND (d) AND AMENDMENTS THERETO FILED
                              PURSUANT TO 13d-2(b)

                               NOVOSTE CORPORATION
                                (Name of Issuer)

                     Common Stock, Par Value $0.01 per Share
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                    67010C100
                                 (CUSIP Number)

                                October 19, 2004
             (Date of event which requires filing of this statement)


     Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this
Schedule is filed:

     [ ]  Rule 13d-1(b)
     [X]  Rule 13d-1(c)
     [ ]  Rule 13d-1(d)





                           (Page 1 of 5 Pages)
---------------
     *The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting
person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of
securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would
alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

     The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be
deemed to be "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the
Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).






CUSIP No. 67010C100                 13G            Page 2 of 5 Pages

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
     (1)    NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
            I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO.
            OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)

              JANA PARTNERS LLC
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
     (2)    CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP **
                                                                  (a) [ ]
                                                                  (b) [ ]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
     (3)    SEC USE ONLY
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
     (4)    CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
                 DELAWARE
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
NUMBER OF      (5)  SOLE VOTING POWER
                                                1,327,698
SHARES         --------------------------------------------------------------

BENEFICIALLY   (6)  SHARED VOTING POWER
                                                -0-
OWNED BY       --------------------------------------------------------------

EACH           (7)  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
                                                1,327,698
REPORTING      --------------------------------------------------------------

PERSON WITH    (8)  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
                                                -0-
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
     (9)    AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED
            BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
                                                1,327,698
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
     (10)   CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT
            IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES **                       [ ]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
     (11)   PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED
            BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
                                                8.13%
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
     (12)   TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON **
                                                 CO
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     ** SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!






CUSIP No. 67010C100                  13G             Page 3 of 5 Pages

Item 1(a).     Name of Issuer:
               NOVOSTE CORP /FL/

Item 1(b).     Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
               3890 Steve Reynolds Blvd.
               Norcross, GA  30093

Item 2(a).     Name of Person Filing:  JANA Partners LLC

Item 2(b).     Address of Principal Business Office or, if None, Residence:

               201 Post Street, Suite 1000, San Francisco, CA 94108.

Item 2(c).     Citizenship:

              (i) This Statement is filed by JANA Partners LLC, a Delaware
limited liability company. JANA Partners LLC is a private money management firm
which holds the Common Stock of the Issuer in various accounts under its
management and control. The principals of JANA Partners LLC, Barry Rosenstein
and Gary Claar, are U.S. citizens.

Item 2(d).     Title of Class of Securities:

               Common Stock

Item 2(e).   CUSIP Number:

             67010C100

Item 3.      If this statement is filed pursuant to Rules 13d-1(b) or 13d-2(b)
or (c), check whether the person filing is a:

               (a)  [ ] Broker or dealer registered under Section 15 of the Act,

               (b)  [ ] Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act,

               (c)  [ ] Insurance Company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of the
                        Act,

               (d)  [ ] Investment Company registered under Section 8 of the
                        Investment Company Act of 1940,

               (e)  [ ] Investment Adviser in accordance with Rule
                        13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E),

               (f)  [ ] Employee Benefit Plan or Endowment Fund in accordance
                        with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F),

               (g)  [ ] Parent Holding Company or control person in accordance
                        with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G),

               (h)  [ ] Savings Association as defined in Section 3(b) of the
                        Federal Deposit Insurance Act,






CUSIP No. 67010C100                  13G            Page 4 of 5 Pages

               (i)  [ ] Church Plan that is excluded from the definition of an
                        investment company under Section 3(c)(14) of the
                        Investment Company Act of 1940,

               (j)  [ ] Group, in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J).

If this statement is filed pursuant to 13d-1(c), check this box:  [x]


Item 4.   Ownership.

          (a) Amount beneficially owned: 1,327,698
          (b) Percent of class: 8.13%
          (c) Number of shares as to which such person has:
              (i) Sole power to vote or direct the vote: 1,327,698
             (ii) Shared power to vote or direct the vote: -0-
            (iii) Sole power to dispose or direct the disposition: 1,327,698
             (iv) Shared power to dispose or direct the disposition:  -0-


Item 5.   Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class.

     If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date
hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than
five percent of the class of securities, check the following [ ].

Item 6.   Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person.

          Not Applicable.

Item 7.   Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired
          the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company.

          Not Applicable.

Item 8.   Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.

          Not Applicable.

Item 9.   Notice of Dissolution of Group.

          Not Applicable.






CUSIP No. 67010C100                  13G            Page 5 of 5 Pages

Item 10.  Certification.

     Each of the Reporting Persons hereby makes the following certification:

          By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for
the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the
issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection
with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect.


                                    SIGNATURE

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify
that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.


DATED:  October 27, 2004


                                  JANA PARTNERS LLC
                                  -------------------------------------
                                  /s/ Barry Rosenstein
                                  Barry Rosenstein
                                  Managing Director


                                  -------------------------------------
                                  /s/ Gary Claar
                                  Gary Claar
                                  Managing Director