Hologic (HOLX) 10-Q 6 Feb 14 2014 Q1 Quarterly report Financial data

Document_and_Entity_Informatio

Document and Entity Information	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013	Jan. 29, 2014
Document And Entity Information [Abstract]	'	'
Document Type	'10-Q	'
Amendment Flag	'false	'
Document Period End Date	28-Dec-13	'
Document Fiscal Year Focus	'2014	'
Document Fiscal Period Focus	'Q1	'
Entity Registrant Name	'HOLOGIC INC	'
Entity Central Index Key	'0000859737	'
Current Fiscal Year End Date	'--09-28	'
Entity Filer Category	'Large Accelerated Filer	'
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding	'	274,388,977

Consolidated_Statements_of_Ope

Consolidated Statements of Operations (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012
Revenues:	'	'
Product sales	$512,382	$533,254
Service and other revenues	100,066	98,108
Total revenues	612,448	631,362
Costs and expenses:	'	'
Cost of product sales	176,878	222,327
Cost of product sales - amortization of intangible assets	76,666	75,287
Cost of service and other revenues	53,308	52,075
Research and development	48,669	51,509
Selling and marketing	83,257	94,443
General and administrative	67,819	54,391
Amortization of intangible assets	26,216	28,526
Contingent consideration - compensation expense	0	29,486
Contingent consideration - fair value adjustments	'	10,040
Gain on sale of intellectual property	'	-53,884
Restructuring and divestiture charges	18,350	3,933
Costs and expenses, total	551,163	568,133
Income from operations	61,285	63,229
Interest income	356	260
Interest expense	-61,290	-72,081
Debt extinguishment loss	-2,940	'
Other income, net	1,170	1,239
(Loss) income before income taxes	-1,419	-7,353
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	3,932	-10,471
Net (loss) income	($5,351)	$3,118
Net (loss) income per common share:	'	'
Basic	($0.02)	$0.01
Diluted	($0.02)	$0.01
Weighted-average number of shares outstanding:	'	'
Basic	272,708	266,344
Diluted	272,708	269,379

Consolidated_Statements_of_Com

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive (Loss) Income (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012
Statement Of Income And Comprehensive Income [Abstract]	'	'
Net (loss) income	($5,351)	$3,118
Foreign currency translation adjustment	-1,188	1,969
Unrealized loss on available-for-sale security	-1,180	-557
Adjustment to minimum pension liability, net of taxes of $152	-615	'
Other comprehensive (loss) income	-2,983	1,412
Comprehensive (loss) income	($8,334)	$4,530

Consolidated_Statements_of_Com1

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive (Loss) Income (Parenthetical) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 28, 2013
Statement Of Income And Comprehensive Income [Abstract]	'
Tax Adjustment of pension and post retirement liability in other comprehensive income	$152

Consolidated_Balance_Sheets

Consolidated Balance Sheets (USD $)	Dec. 28, 2013	Sep. 28, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Current assets:	'	'
Cash and cash equivalents	$442,488	$822,490
Restricted cash	6,149	6,914
Accounts receivable, less reserves of $11,256 and $8,798, respectively	394,471	409,273
Inventories	301,709	289,363
Deferred income tax assets	35,353	'
Prepaid income taxes	'	44,745
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	46,769	48,361
Other current assets - assets held-for-sale	'	2,997
Total current assets	1,226,939	1,624,143
Property, plant and equipment, net	479,735	491,528
Intangible assets, net	3,802,421	3,906,722
Goodwill	2,813,907	2,814,528
Other assets	161,306	163,902
Total assets	8,484,308	9,000,823
Current liabilities:	'	'
Current portion of long-term debt	77,033	563,812
Accounts payable	90,966	80,534
Accrued expenses	324,130	271,931
Deferred revenue	136,128	132,319
Deferred income tax liabilities	'	39,810
Total current liabilities	628,257	1,088,406
Long-term debt, net of current portion	4,224,732	4,242,098
Deferred income tax liabilities	1,485,465	1,535,306
Deferred service obligations - long-term	24,256	25,456
Other long-term liabilities	171,067	168,044
Commitments and contingencies (Note 5)	'	'
Stockholders' equity:	'	'
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value - 1,623 shares authorized; 0 shares issued	'	'
Common stock, $0.01 par value - 750,000 shares authorized; 273,404 and 272,036 shares issued, respectively	2,734	2,720
Additional paid-in-capital	5,553,638	5,536,312
Accumulated deficit	-3,623,259	-3,616,392
Accumulated other comprehensive income	17,418	20,391
Treasury stock, at cost - 0 shares at December 28, 2013 and 219 shares at September 28, 2013	'	-1,518
Total stockholders' equity	1,950,531	1,941,513
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$8,484,308	$9,000,823

Consolidated_Balance_Sheets_Pa

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) (USD $)	Dec. 28, 2013	Sep. 28, 2013
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified
Statement Of Financial Position [Abstract]	'	'
Accounts receivable, reserves	$11,256	$8,798
Preferred stock, par value	$0.01	$0.01
Preferred stock, shares authorized	1,623	1,623
Preferred stock, shares issued	0	0
Common stock, par value	$0.01	$0.01
Common stock, shares authorized	750,000	750,000
Common stock, shares issued	273,404	272,036
Treasury stock, shares	0	219

Consolidated_Statements_of_Cas

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012
OPERATING ACTIVITIES	'	'
Net (loss) income	($5,351)	$3,118
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities:	'	'
Depreciation	24,937	24,342
Amortization	102,882	103,813
Non-cash interest expense	19,668	20,679
Stock-based compensation expense	13,726	12,066
Excess tax benefit related to equity awards	-2,959	-2,185
Deferred income taxes	-125,059	-70,123
Gain on sale of intellectual property	'	-53,884
Fair value adjustments to contingent consideration	'	10,040
Fair value write-up of inventory sold	'	29,876
Debt extinguishment loss	2,940	'
Asset impairment charges	3,132	'
Loss on disposal of property and equipment	1,411	906
Other	-966	-1,149
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:	'	'
Accounts receivable	15,554	6,903
Inventories	-14,151	-6,004
Prepaid income taxes	44,745	18,538
Prepaid expenses and other assets	2,107	-1,177
Accounts payable	10,423	-10,629
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	53,667	76,138
Deferred revenue	2,560	-6,243
Net cash provided by operating activities	149,266	155,025
INVESTING ACTIVITIES	'	'
Payment of additional acquisition consideration	'	-16,808
Proceeds from sale of business, net of cash transferred	2,431	1,488
Purchase of property and equipment	-8,417	-11,233
Increase in equipment under customer usage agreements	-7,968	-11,214
Net sales (purchases) of insurance contracts	13,841	-4,000
Purchases of mutual funds	-29,732	'
Sales of mutual funds	15,891	'
Proceeds from sale of intellectual property	'	60,000
Purchase of cost method investments	'	-3,625
(Increase) decrease in other assets	-429	1,144
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	-14,383	15,752
FINANCING ACTIVITIES	'	'
Repayment of long-term debt	-521,250	-16,250
Payment of contingent consideration	'	-3,408
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock plans	12,906	12,777
Excess tax benefit related to equity awards	2,959	2,185
Payment of employee restricted stock minimum tax withholdings	-9,054	-7,885
Net cash used in financing activities	-514,439	-12,581
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	-446	-155
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	-380,002	158,041
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	822,490	560,430
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$442,488	$718,471

Basis_of_Presentation

Basis of Presentation	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Accounting Policies [Abstract]	'
Basis of Presentation	'
	(1) Basis of Presentation
	The consolidated financial statements of Hologic, Inc. (“Hologic” or the “Company”) presented herein have been prepared pursuant to the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and do not include all of the information and disclosures required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes for the year ended September 28, 2013, included in the Company’s Form 10-K filed with the SEC on November 26, 2013. In the opinion of management, the financial statements and notes contain all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation of the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented.
	The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.
	The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make significant estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from management’s estimates if past experience or other assumptions do not turn out to be substantially accurate. Operating results for the three months ended December 28, 2013 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for any other interim period or the entire fiscal year ending September 27, 2014.
	During the third quarter of fiscal 2013, the Company determined that certain amounts previously classified as a component of product sales and cost of product sales in the first and second quarters of fiscal 2013 should be reclassified to service and other revenues and cost of service and other revenues in the Consolidated Statement of Operations for the nine months ended June 29, 2013. These reclassifications were reflected in the Company’s reported results for the nine months ended June 29, 2012. Within the accompanying Consolidated Statement of Operations for the three months ended December 29, 2012, reclassifications of $1.9 million from product sales to service and other revenues and $1.2 million from cost of product sales to cost of service and other revenues, respectively, are reflected to conform those financial statements to the current period presentation. The Company concluded these reclassifications were not material to its consolidated financial statements.
	Subsequent Events Consideration
	The Company considers events or transactions that occur after the balance sheet date but prior to the issuance of the financial statements to provide additional evidence for certain estimates or to identify matters that require additional disclosure. Subsequent events have been evaluated as required. There were no material recognized subsequent events recorded in the unaudited consolidated financial statements as of and for the three months ended December 28, 2013.

Fair_Value_Measurements

Fair Value Measurements	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]	'
Fair Value Measurements	'
	(2) Fair Value Measurements
	Assets/Liabilities Measured and Recorded at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis
	The Company has an equity investment in a publicly-traded company and mutual funds, both of which are valued using quoted market prices, representing Level 1 assets. The Company has a payment obligation to the participants under its Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan (“DCP”). This liability is recorded at fair value based on the underlying value of certain hypothetical investments under the DCP as designated by each participant for their benefit. Since the value of the DCP obligations is based on market prices, the liability is classified within Level 1. In addition, in fiscal 2013, the Company had contingent consideration liabilities related to its acquisitions that were recorded at fair value and were based on Level 3 inputs (see Note 5(a)).
	Assets and liabilities measured and recorded at fair value on a recurring basis consisted of the following at December 28, 2013:
					Fair Value at Reporting Date Using
		Balance as of			Quoted Prices in			Significant		Significant
		December 28,			Active Market for			Other		Unobservable
		2013			Identical Assets			Observable		Inputs (Level 3)
					(Level 1)			Inputs (Level 2)
	Assets:
	Marketable securities:
	Equity security	$	16,907		$	16,907		$	—	$	—
	Mutual funds		21,243			21,243			—		—
	Total	$	38,150		$	38,150		$	—	$	—
	Liabilities:
	Deferred compensation liabilities	$	44,009		$	44,009		$	—	$	—
	Contingent consideration		3,647			—			—		3,647
	Total	$	47,656		$	44,009		$	—	$	3,647
	Changes in the fair value of recurring fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3), which solely consisted of contingent consideration liabilities, were as follows:
		Three Months Ended
		December 28,			December 29,
		2013			2012
	Balance at beginning of period	$	3,780		$	86,368
	Fair value adjustments		—			10,040
	Payments made		(133	)		(3,408	)
	Balance at end of period	$	3,647		$	93,000
	The contingent consideration liability at December 28, 2013 is related to the Company’s Interlace Medical, Inc. (“Interlace”) acquisition and represents the remaining amounts withheld from payments made to the former stockholders of Interlace for legal indemnification provisions. As of the end of the second quarter of fiscal 2013, the Interlace contingent liability was no longer being remeasured as the final measurement period lapsed. The withheld amount is being used to pay qualifying legal expenses in connection with the litigation with Smith & Nephew, Inc. (“Smith & Nephew”) (see Note 5(b)).
	Assets Measured and Recorded at Fair Value on a Nonrecurring Basis
	The Company remeasures the fair value of certain assets and liabilities upon the occurrence of certain events. Such assets are comprised of cost-method equity investments and long-lived assets, including property, plant and equipment, intangible assets and goodwill. In the first quarter of fiscal 2014, the Company recorded a $3.1 million impairment charge to record certain of its buildings at fair value related to the Hitec organic photoconductor manufacturing line shutdown (see Note 3). The Company believes this adjustment falls within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.
	The Company holds certain cost-method equity investments in non-publicly traded securities aggregating $11.7 million and $12.6 million at December 28, 2013 and September 28, 2013, respectively, which are included in other long-term assets on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets. These investments are generally carried at cost, less any write-downs for other-than-temporary impairment charges. Since the inputs utilized for the Company’s periodic impairment assessment are not based on observable market data, these cost method investments are generally classified within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. To determine the fair value of these investments, the Company uses all available financial information related to the entities, including information based on recent or pending third-party equity investments in these entities. In certain instances, a cost method investment’s fair value is not estimated as there are no identified events or changes in circumstances that may have a significant adverse effect on the fair value of the investment and to do so would be impractical. In the first quarter of fiscal 2014, the Company recorded an other-than-temporary impairment charge of $0.7 million related to one of its cost-method investments.
	The following chart depicts the level of inputs within the fair value hierarchy used to estimate the fair value of buildings and a cost-method equity investment measured on a nonrecurring basis for which the Company recorded impairment charges:
					Fair Value Measurements Using
		Fair Value			Quoted Prices in		Significant	Significant		Total Gains
					Active Market for		Other	Unobservable		(Losses)
					Identical Assets		Observable	Inputs (Level 3)
					(Level 1)		Inputs (Level 2)
	Fiscal 2014:
	Buildings	$	1,388					$	1,388	$	(3,132	)
	Cost-method equity investment		778						778		(705	)
										$	(3,837	)
	Disclosure of Fair Value of Financial Instruments
	The Company’s financial instruments mainly consist of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, marketable securities, cost-method equity investments, insurance contracts, the DCP liability, accounts payable and debt obligations. The carrying amounts of the Company’s cash equivalents, accounts receivable and accounts payable approximate their fair value due to the short-term nature of these instruments. The Company’s marketable securities are recorded at fair value. The carrying amount of the insurance contracts are recorded at the cash surrender value, as required by U.S. GAAP, which approximates fair value, and the related DCP liability is recorded at fair value. The Company believes the carrying amounts of its cost-method investments approximate fair value.
	Amounts outstanding under the Company’s Credit Agreement of $2.12 billion aggregate principal are subject to variable rates of interest based on current market rates, and as such, the Company believes the carrying amount of these obligations approximates fair value. The Company’s Senior Notes had a fair value of approximately $1.06 billion as of December 28, 2013 based on their trading price, representing a Level 1 measurement. The fair value of the Company’s Convertible Notes is based on the trading prices of the respective notes at the dates noted and represents a Level 1 measurement. Refer to Note 4 for the carrying amounts of the various components of the Company’s debt.
	The estimated fair values of the Company’s Convertible Notes were as follows:
		December 28,			September 28,
		2013			2013
	2007 Notes	$	—		$	405,000
	2010 Notes		527,900			510,800
	2012 Notes		509,400			518,800
	2013 Notes		391,500			385,700
		$	1,428,800		$	1,820,300
	As disclosed in Note 4, the Company redeemed the outstanding 2007 Notes in December 2013.

Restructuring_and_Divestiture_

Restructuring and Divestiture Charges	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Restructuring And Related Activities [Abstract]	'
Restructuring and Divestiture Charges	'
	(3) Restructuring and Divestiture Charges
	The Company evaluates its operations for opportunities to improve operational effectiveness and efficiency, including facility and operations consolidation, and to better align expenses with revenues. As a result of these assessments, the Company has undertaken various restructuring actions. These actions are described below. The following table displays charges taken related to restructuring actions in fiscal 2014, 2013 and 2012 and a rollforward of the charges to the accrued balances as of December 28, 2013:
	Restructuring and Divestiture Charges	Consolidation of			Closure of			Fiscal 2014			Fiscal 2013			Other			Total
		Diagnostics			Indianapolis			Actions			Actions			Operating
		Operations			Facility									Cost
														Reductions
	Fiscal 2012 charges:
	Non-cash impairment charge	$	585		$	—		$	—		$	—		$	—		$	585
	Purchase orders and other contractual obligations		—			—			—			—			351			351
	Workforce reductions		14,202			879			—			—			168			15,249
	Facility closure costs		—			—			—			—			430			430
	Other		—			900			—			—			—			900
	Total fiscal 2012 charges	$	14,787		$	1,779		$	—		$	—		$	949		$	17,515
	Fiscal 2013 charges:
	Workforce reductions	$	13,950		$	4,805		$	—		$	11,332		$	1,127		$	31,214
	Facility closure costs		—			173			—			—			377			550
	Other		—			651			—			42			236			929
	Fiscal 2013 restructuring charges	$	13,950		$	5,629		$	—		$	11,374		$	1,740		$	32,693
	Divestiture net charges		—			—			—			—			—			112
	Fiscal 2013 restructuring and divestiture charges	$	13,950		$	5,629		$	—		$	11,374		$	1,740		$	32,805
	Fiscal 2014 charges:
	Workforce reductions	$	796		$	238		$	12,933		$	671		$	—		$	14,638
	Property impairment		—			—			—			—			3,132			3,132
	Facility closure costs		—			445			—			—			—			445
	Other		—			—			—			—			49			49
	Fiscal 2014 restructuring charges	$	796		$	683		$	12,933		$	671		$	3,181		$	18,264
	Divestiture net charges		—			—			—			—			—			86
	Fiscal 2014 restructuring and divestiture charges	$	796		$	683		$	12,933		$	671		$	3,181		$	18,350
	Rollforward of Accrued Restructuring
	Total fiscal 2012 charges	$	14,787		$	1,779		$	—		$	—		$	949		$	17,515
	Non-cash impairment charges		(585	)		—			—			—			—			(585	)
	Stock compensation		(3,500	)		—			—			—			—			(3,500	)
	Severance payments		(2,423	)		—			—			—			(206	)		(2,629	)
	Other payments		—			—			—			—			(781	)		(781	)
	Acquired		83			—			—			—			—			83
	Foreign exchange and other adjustments		22			—			—			—			91			113
	Balance at September 29, 2012	$	8,384		$	1,779		$	—		$	—		$	53		$	10,216
	Fiscal 2013 restructuring charges	$	13,950		$	5,629			—		$	11,374		$	1,740		$	32,693
	Stock compensation		(6,322	)		—			—			(1,595	)		—			(7,917	)
	Non-cash impairment charges		—			—			—			—			(54	)		(54	)
	Severance payments		(13,068	)		(3,048	)		—			(4,425	)		(897	)		(21,438	)
	Other payments		—			(566	)		—			(25	)		(560	)		(1,151	)
	Foreign exchange and other adjustments		(2	)		—			—			(14	)		6			(10	)
	Balance at September 28, 2013	$	2,942		$	3,794		$	—		$	5,315		$	288		$	12,339
	Fiscal 2014 restructuring charges	$	796		$	683		$	12,934		$	670		$	3,181		$	18,264
	Stock compensation		—			—			(4,731	)		(30	)		—			(4,761	)
	Non-cash impairment charges		—			—			—			—			(3,132	)		(3,132	)
	Severance payments		(251	)		(3,153	)		(3,748	)		(1,939	)		(268	)		(9,359	)
	Other payments		—			(275	)		—			—			(49	)		(324	)
	Foreign exchange and other adjustments		—			—			—			—			5			5
	Balance at December 28, 2013	$	3,487		$	1,049		$	4,455		$	4,016		$	25		$	13,032
	Consolidation of Diagnostics Operations
	In connection with its acquisition of Gen-Probe Incorporated (“Gen-Probe”), the Company implemented restructuring actions to consolidate its Diagnostics operations, such as streamlining product development initiatives, reducing overlapping functional areas such as sales, marketing and general and administrative functions, and consolidation of manufacturing resources, field services and support. As a result, the Company terminated certain employees from Gen-Probe and its legacy diagnostics business in research and development, sales, marketing, and general and administrative functions. The Company recorded severance and benefit charges in fiscal 2012 of $13.3 million related to this action pursuant to ASC 420, Exit or Disposal Cost Obligations (ASC 420). The majority of these employees ceased working in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012, and their full severance charge was recorded in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012. In addition, certain of the terminated Gen-Probe employees had unvested stock options, which were accelerated at termination pursuant to the stock options’ original terms. As such, the severance charges in fiscal 2012 include $3.5 million of stock-based compensation expense. In fiscal 2013, the Company recorded $10.8 million of severance charges, including $6.3 million for stock-based compensation. Included in these charges is $9.7 million recorded in the second quarter of fiscal 2013 related to certain Gen-Probe executives who ceased employment, including Carl Hull, Gen-Probe’s former Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. The charge was for the acceleration of certain retention payments and equity awards pursuant to the original terms of the related agreements. No additional charges were recorded in fiscal 2014 under this portion of the action. In the first quarter of fiscal 2013, the Company recorded $0.8 million of severance charges.
	In addition, the Company is in process of moving its legacy molecular diagnostics operations from Madison, Wisconsin to Gen-Probe’s facilities in San Diego, California. This transfer is expected to be finalized by the end of fiscal 2014 and, as a result, the employees in Madison will be terminated. The Company is recording severance and benefit charges pursuant to ASC 420 and estimates the total severance and benefits charge to be approximately $6.9 million, which is being recorded ratably over the estimated service period of the affected employees. In the first quarter of fiscal 2014 and 2013, the Company recorded $0.8 million and $1.0 million, respectively, for severance and benefits. In fiscal 2013 and 2012, the Company recorded $3.2 million and $0.9 million, respectively, for severance and benefits. The Company also recorded non-cash charges of $0.6 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 as a result of exiting certain research projects. Additional charges, which are not expected to be significant, will be recorded as the manufacturing operation is transferred and the facility is closed down. These charges will be recorded as they are incurred.
	Closure of Indianapolis Facility
	In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012, the Company finalized its decision to transfer production of the majority of its interventional breast products, which are included within the Breast Health reporting segment, from its Indianapolis, Indiana facility to its facility in Costa Rica. The transfer was completed in the first quarter of fiscal 2014, and the termination of employees at the Indianapolis location was completed. The Company recorded severance and benefit charges pursuant to ASC 420 and the total severance and benefits charge under this action was $5.9 million, which was recorded ratably over the required service period of the affected employees. In the first quarter of fiscal 2014 and 2013, the Company recorded $0.2 million and $1.5 million, respectively, of severance charges. In fiscal 2013 and 2012, the Company recorded $4.8 million and $0.9 million, respectively, for severance charges. In addition, the Company recorded charges of $0.4 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2014 related to the termination of its lease and remaining lease payments as of the cease-use date. The Company also recorded miscellaneous charges of $0.8 million in fiscal 2013 and $0.9 million in fiscal 2012 for amounts owed to the state of Indiana for employment credits. The Company does not expect to incur any additional charges in connection with this action.
	Fiscal 2013 Actions
	During the third quarter of fiscal 2013, the Company implemented a cost reduction initiative comprised of reducing headcount and evaluating research projects and operating costs. In connection with this plan, the Company terminated certain employees on a worldwide basis. The Company is primarily recording severance and benefit charges pursuant to ASC 420 and estimates the total severance and benefits charge to be approximately $5.4 million. For those employees who will continue to be employed beyond the minimum retention period, charges are being recorded ratably over the estimated service period of the affected employees. In the first quarter of fiscal 2014, the Company recorded $0.7 million for severance and benefits charges. The Company recorded $4.6 million of severance and benefit charges in fiscal 2013.
	During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013, effective July 18, 2013, Robert A. Cascella resigned as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Company, and effective at the same time, John W. Cumming was appointed as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer. In connection with this management change, additional headcount reductions were implemented. As a result of this action, the Company recorded $6.8 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013 for severance and benefits charges. All employees were notified prior to September 28, 2013 and primarily ceased employment in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013. The severance and benefit charges were accounted for pursuant to ASC 712, Compensation-Nonretirement Postemployment Benefits (ASC 712), for those employees with contractual arrangements and under ASC 420 for the remainder of affected employees. In addition to the acceleration of stock options pursuant to the stock options’ original terms for certain employees, the Company also modified the terms of equity awards to certain employees resulting in aggregate stock compensation charges of $1.4 million recorded in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013.
	Fiscal 2014 Actions
	During the first quarter of fiscal 2014, the Company implemented a cost reduction initiative comprised of reducing headcount and evaluating research projects and operating costs. In connection with this plan, the Company terminated certain employees on a worldwide basis. The Company recorded the severance and benefit charges pursuant to ASC 420 and ASC 712, depending on the nature of the benefits. The Company recorded $6.3 million of severance and benefit charges in the first quarter of fiscal 2014, which includes $0.4 million of stock compensation related to the acceleration of assumed options in the Gen-Probe acquisition.
	On December 6, 2013, Stephen MacMillan was appointed as President, Chief Executive Officer and a director of the Company. The employment of Mr. Cumming, our prior President and Chief Executive Officer, terminated upon Mr. MacMillan’s appointment. The Company provided separation benefits to Mr. Cumming pursuant to his employment letter dated July 18, 2013 resulting in a charge of $6.6 million, which included $4.4 million of stock compensation related to the acceleration of all of Mr. Cumming’s outstanding equity awards in accordance with the existing terms of Mr. Cumming’s share based payment arrangements.
	Other Operating Cost Reductions:
Hitec Organic Photoconductor Manufacturing Line Shutdown
In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013, in connection with the Company’s cost reduction initiatives, the Company decided to shut-down its Hitec-Imaging organic photoconductor manufacturing line located in Germany. As a result, the Company will terminate certain employees, primarily in manufacturing, in fiscal 2014 and incur severance and benefit charges, which will be recorded pursuant to ASC 420. During the first quarter of fiscal 2014, the Company completed its negotiations with the local Works Council to determine severance benefits for the approximately 96 affected employees. The Company estimates the severance and related charges to be approximately $6.8 million. Under ASC 420, the recognition of severance charges will commence when the affected employees are notified and such charges are recognized ratably over the required service period to earn the benefits unless the service period is within the legal notification period in which case the charges are recognized on the communication date. The Company began notifying the affected employees in the second quarter of fiscal 2014 and expects to incur these charges in the remainder of fiscal 2014. In connection with this action, in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013, the Company recorded a $0.3 million impairment charge to record certain equipment at fair value.
In the first quarter of fiscal 2014, the Company recorded an impairment charge of $3.1 million to record certain of its buildings at this location in Germany to their estimated fair value. This charge is included within restructuring and divestiture charges.
Consolidation of Selenium Panel Coating Production
During the third quarter of fiscal 2012, the Company finalized its decision to consolidate its Selenium panel coating process and transfer the production line to its Newark, Delaware facility from its Hitec-Imaging German subsidiary. This production line is included within the Breast Health segment. The transfer was completed in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013. In connection with this consolidation plan, the Company terminated certain employees, primarily manufacturing personnel. Severance charges were recorded pursuant to ASC 420. The termination communications began in January 2013 and were completed during fiscal 2013. In connection with this action, the Company recorded severance charges of $1.1 million in fiscal 2013.
Other
The Company recorded a charge of $0.4 million in fiscal 2013 for a lease obligation charge and the write-off of related leaseholds.
Divestitures
In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013, the Company designated the assets of its Elucigene product line, acquired in the Gen-Probe acquisition, as assets held-for-sale, and recorded a charge of $0.7 million to record the assets at fair value. In the first quarter of fiscal 2014, the Company finalized the sale of the assets for $2.8 million, and after adjusting for the value of assets transferred, the Company recorded an additional charge of $0.1 million. At September 28, 2013, assets held-for-sale consisted of inventory and certain equipment valued at $2.4 million and goodwill of $0.6 million.
The Company completed the sale of its Lifecodes business and recorded a net gain of $0.9 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2013. For the year ended September 28, 2013, the Company recorded a charge of $0.3 million related to the disposition of certain other assets held-for-sale.

Borrowings_and_Credit_Arrangem

Borrowings and Credit Arrangements	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]	'
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements	'
	(4) Borrowings and Credit Arrangements
	The Company had total debt with a carrying value of $4.3 billion and $4.8 billion at December 28, 2013 and September 28, 2013, respectively. The Company’s borrowings consisted of the following:
		December 28, 2013			September 28, 2013
	Current debt obligations, net of debt discount:
	Term Loan A	$	62,165		$	49,713
	Term Loan B		14,868			113,966
	Convertible Notes		—			400,133
	Total current debt obligations		77,033			563,812
	Long-term debt obligations, net of debt discount:
	Term Loan A		870,315			894,834
	Term Loan B		1,155,973			1,159,272
	Senior Notes		1,000,000			1,000,000
	Convertible Notes		1,198,444			1,187,992
	Total long-term debt obligations		4,224,732			4,242,098
	Total debt obligations	$	4,301,765		$	4,805,910
	Credit Agreement
	On October 31, 2013, the Company voluntarily pre-paid $100.0 million of its Term Loan B facility, which was reflected in current debt obligations, net of debt discount, as of September 28, 2013. Pursuant to ASC 470, Debt, the Company recorded a debt extinguishment loss of $2.9 million to write-off the pro-rata amount of unamortized debt discount and deferred issuance costs related to this voluntary prepayment.
	Borrowings outstanding under the credit and guaranty agreement (“Credit Agreement”) for the three months ended December 28, 2013 and December 29, 2012 had weighted-average interest rates of 3.0% and 4.0%, respectively. The interest rates on the outstanding Term Loan A and Term Loan B borrowings at December 28, 2013 were 2.2% and 3.75%, respectively. Interest expense under the Credit Agreement totaled $20.4 million and $30.0 million for the three months ended December 28, 2013 and December 29, 2012, respectively, which includes non-cash interest expense of $3.3 million and $3.7 million, respectively, related to the amortization of the deferred financing costs and accretion of the debt discount.
	The Credit Agreement contains affirmative and negative covenants customarily applicable to senior secured credit facilities, including covenants restricting the ability of the Company and the guarantors, subject to negotiated exceptions, to incur additional indebtedness and additional liens on their assets; engage in mergers or acquisitions or dispose of assets; enter into sale-leaseback transactions; pay dividends or make other distributions; voluntarily prepay other indebtedness; enter into transactions with affiliated persons; make investments; and change the nature of their businesses. The credit facilities also contain a total net leverage ratio and an interest coverage ratio financial covenant measured as of the last day of each fiscal quarter. The Company was in compliance with the Credit Agreement’s covenants as of December 28, 2013.
	The Company has evaluated the Credit Agreement for derivatives pursuant to ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging (ASC 815), and identified embedded derivatives that require bifurcation as the features are not clearly and closely related to the host instrument. The embedded derivatives are a default provision, which could require additional interest payments, and provision requiring contingent payments to compensate the lenders for changes in tax deductions. The Company has determined that the fair value of these embedded derivatives was nominal as of December 28, 2013 and September 28, 2013.
	Senior Notes
	The Company’s 6.25% senior notes due 2020 (the “Senior Notes”) mature on August 1, 2020 and bear interest at the rate of 6.25% per year, payable semi-annually on February 1 and August 1 of each year, commencing on February 1, 2013. The Company recorded interest expense of $16.0 million in the three months ended December 28, 2013 and December 29, 2012, which includes non-cash interest expense of $0.4 million related to the amortization of the deferred financing costs.
	The Company evaluated the Senior Notes for derivatives pursuant to ASC 815 and did not identify any embedded derivatives that require bifurcation. All features were deemed to be clearly and closely related to the host instrument.
	Convertible Notes
	On November 14, 2013, the Company announced that it had issued a notice of redemption to the holders of its 2.00% Convertible Senior Notes due 2037 (“2007 Notes”) to redeem any 2007 Notes outstanding on December 18, 2013 at a redemption price payable in cash equal to 100% of the principal amount of the 2007 Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, December 18, 2013. Holders of the 2007 Notes also had the option of putting the 2007 Notes to the Company as of December 13, 2013. All of the 2007 Notes were redeemed at their par value aggregating $405.0 million. Under ASC 470, the derecognition of the 2007 Notes did not result in a gain or loss as the fair value of the liability component of the 2007 Notes was determined to be equal to the consideration paid to redeem the 2007 Notes, and as a result, no value was allocated to the reacquisition of the conversion option.
	As a result of redeeming the 2007 Notes, the Company is required to recapture the original issuance discount previously deducted for tax purposes. The estimated tax due upon the Company’s repurchase and redemption of the 2007 Notes is approximately $76.0 million, which is payable in fiscal 2014.
	The term “Convertible Notes” refers to the 2007 Notes; the 2.00% Convertible Exchange Senior Notes due December 15, 2037 (the “2010 Notes”); the 2.00% Convertible Senior Notes due March 1, 2042 (the “2012 Notes”); and the 2.00% Convertible Senior Notes due December 15, 2043 (the “2013 Notes”). The Convertible Notes and related equity components (recorded in additional paid-in-capital, net of deferred taxes) consisted of the following:
		December 28,			September 28,
		2013			2013
	2007 Notes principal amount	$	—		$	405,000
	Unamortized discount		—			(4,867	)
	Net carrying amount	$	—		$	400,133
	Equity component, net of taxes	$	—		$	121,496
	2010 Notes principal amount	$	450,000		$	450,000
	Unamortized discount		(54,193	)		(58,310	)
	Net carrying amount	$	395,807		$	391,690
	Equity component, net of taxes	$	60,054		$	60,054
	2012 Notes principal amount	$	500,000		$	500,000
	Unamortized discount		(32,851	)		(34,630	)
	Net carrying amount	$	467,149		$	465,370
	Equity component, net of taxes	$	49,195		$	49,195
	2013 Notes principal amount	$	370,000		$	370,000
	Principal accretion		12,999			9,225
	Unamortized discount		(47,511	)		(48,293	)
	Net carrying amount	$	335,488		$	330,932
	Equity component, net of taxes	$	131,451		$	131,451
	Interest expense under the Convertible Notes is as follows:
		Three months ended
		December 28,			December 29,
		2013			2012
	Amortization of debt discount	$	11,546		$	15,644
	Amortization of deferred financing costs		650			908
	Principal accretion		3,774			—
	Non-cash interest expense		15,970			16,552
	2.00% accrued interest		8,119			8,610
		$	24,089		$	25,162

Commitments_and_Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]	'
Commitments and Contingencies	'
	(5) Commitments and Contingencies
	(a) Contingent Earn-Out Payments
	In connection with certain of its acquisitions, the Company has incurred obligations to make contingent earn-out payments tied to performance criteria, principally revenue growth of the acquired businesses over a specified period.
	In the first quarter of fiscal 2013, the Company made its final contingent consideration payment of $16.8 million to the former shareholders of Adiana, Inc., which was net of amounts withheld for qualifying legal costs, and its final contingent consideration payment of $3.4 million to the former shareholders of Sentinelle Medical Inc.
	In connection with the Company’s acquisition of Interlace in fiscal 2011, the Company had an obligation to the former Interlace stockholders to make contingent payments over a two-year period up to a maximum payout of $225.0 million based on a multiple of incremental revenue growth during the two-year period following the completion of the acquisition. Pursuant to ASC 805, Business Combinations, the Company recorded its estimate of the fair value of the contingent consideration liability based on future revenue projections of the Interlace business under various potential scenarios and weighted probability assumptions of these outcomes. The final measurement period ended during the second quarter of fiscal 2013, resulting in a contingent consideration liability of $93.8 million. Of this amount, $86.9 million was paid to the former Interlace stockholders in the second quarter of fiscal 2013. The remainder was withheld for legal indemnification provisions and is being used to pay qualifying legal expenses. At December 28, 2013, the Company had accrued $3.6 million.
	In connection with the Company’s acquisition of TCT International Co., Ltd. (“TCT”) in June 2011, the Company had an obligation to certain of the former TCT shareholders, based on future employment, to make contingent payments over a two year period not to exceed $200.0 million less a deferred payment of $35.0 million from the initial consideration. These earnouts were recorded as compensation expense ratably over the required service periods. The first earn-out payment of $54.0 million was made in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012. The second and final earn-out period was completed in the third quarter of fiscal 2013, and the Company paid $87.4 million of this earn-out in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013. The remainder of this earn-out of $31.1 million was paid in the first quarter of fiscal 2014.
	In connection with the Company’s acquisition of Beijing Healthcome Technology Company, Ltd. (“Healthcome”) in July 2011, the Company has an obligation to the former Healthcome shareholders to make contingent payments totaling $5.0 million. In July 2013, the Company paid $1.7 million per the terms of the acquisition agreement. At December 28, 2013, the Company had accrued $3.4 million for these contingent payments.
	There were no contingent consideration expenses recorded in the first quarter of fiscal 2014. A summary of amounts recorded to the Consolidated Statements of Operations in the first quarter of fiscal 2013 is as follows:
	Statement of Operations Line Item – 3 Months Ended December 29, 2012	Interlace		TCT		Total
	Contingent consideration – compensation expense	$	—	$	29,486	$	29,486
	Contingent consideration – fair value adjustments		10,040		—		10,040
		$	10,040	$	29,486	$	39,526
	(b) Litigation and Related Matters
	On June 9, 2010, Smith & Nephew filed suit against Interlace, which the Company acquired on January 6, 2011, in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The complaint alleged that the Interlace MyoSure hysteroscopic tissue removal device infringed U.S. patent 7,226,459. On November 22, 2011, Smith & Nephew filed suit against the Company in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The complaint alleged that use of the MyoSure hysteroscopic tissue removal system infringed U.S. patent 8,061,359. Both complaints sought permanent injunctive relief and unspecified damages. On September 4, 2012, following a two week trial, the jury returned a verdict of infringement of both the ‘459 and ‘359 patents and assessed damages of $4.0 million. A bench trial regarding the Company’s assertion of inequitable conduct on the part of Smith & Nephew with regard to the ‘359 patent was held on December 9, 2012 and oral arguments on the issue of inequitable conduct were presented on February 27, 2013. On June 27, 2013, the Court denied the Company’s motions related to inequitable conduct and allowed Smith & Nephew’s request for injunction, but ordered that enforcement of the injunction be stayed until final resolution, including appeal, of the current re-examinations of both patents at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”). The Court also rejected the jury’s damage award and ordered the parties to identify a mechanism for resolving the damages issue. On September 12, 2013, a status conference was held, and the Court invited the parties to submit briefs on the relevance of recent activity in the re-examinations at the USPTO. A hearing on this topic was held on October 29, 2013, and the parties are awaiting the Court’s ruling. The Company intends to file post-trial motions seeking to reverse the jury’s verdict. On January 14, 2014, the USPTO issued a final decision that the claims of the ‘459 patent asserted as part of the litigation are not patentable. The re-examination of the ‘359 patent is on-going. It is expected that patentability decisions made by the USPTO for both patents will proceed to appeal. At this time, based on available information regarding this litigation, the Company is unable to reasonably assess the ultimate outcome of this case or determine an estimate, or a range of estimates, of potential losses.
	On March 6, 2012, Enzo Life Sciences, Inc. (“Enzo”) filed suit against the Company in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware. The complaint alleged that certain of the Company’s molecular diagnostics products, including without limitation products based on its proprietary Invader chemistry, such as Cervista HPV HR and Cervista HPV 16/18, infringe Enzo’s U.S. patent 6,992,180. The complaint seeks permanent injunctive relief and unspecified damages. The Company was formally served with the complaint on July 3, 2012, and a trial is tentatively scheduled for the spring of 2015. In January 2012, Enzo filed suit against Gen-Probe in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware. The Gen-Probe complaint alleged that certain of Gen-Probe’s diagnostics products, including products that incorporate Gen-Probe’s patented HPA technology, such as the Aptima Combo 2 and Aptima HPV assays, infringe Enzo’s U.S. patent 6,992,180. On September 30, 2013, Enzo amended its list of accused products to include Prodesse, MilliPROBE, PACE and Procleix assays. The complaint seeks permanent injunctive relief and unspecified damages, and a trial is tentatively scheduled for the spring of 2015. At this time, based on available information regarding this litigation, the Company is unable to reasonably assess the ultimate outcome of this case or determine an estimate, or a range of estimates, of potential losses.
	On October 29, 2013, the Interlace stockholder representatives filed a complaint in the Delaware Court of Chancery alleging breach of contract for issues related to the payment of contingent consideration under the Interlace acquisition agreement, and are seeking $14.7 million in additional payments. The Company believes that Interlace has been paid all amounts due under the acquisition agreement and their claims are without merit. The Company is currently preparing its answer to the complaint. At this time, the Company is unable to reasonably assess the ultimate outcome of this case, or determine an estimate, or range of estimates, of potential losses.
	The Company is a party to various other legal proceedings and claims arising out of the ordinary course of its business. The Company believes that except for those described above there are no other proceedings or claims pending against it of which the ultimate resolution would have a material adverse effect on its financial condition or results of operations. In all cases, at each reporting period, the Company evaluates whether or not a potential loss amount or a potential range of loss is probable and reasonably estimable under ASC 450, Contingencies. Legal costs are expensed as incurred.

Sale_of_Makena

Sale of Makena	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Text Block [Abstract]	'
Sale of Makena	'
	(6) Sale of Makena
	On January 16, 2008, the Company entered into an agreement to sell the full world-wide rights of its Makena (formerly Gestiva) pharmaceutical product to K-V Pharmaceutical Company (“KV”) upon FDA approval of the then pending Makena new drug application for $82.0 million. The Company executed certain amendments to this agreement resulting in an increase in the total sales price to $199.5 million and changing the timing of when payments are due to the Company. Gains attributable to payments in the amount of $79.5 million received from KV prior to FDA approval were deferred.
	On February 3, 2011, the Company received FDA approval of Makena, and subject to a security interest and a right of reversion for failure to make future payments, all rights to Makena were transferred to KV. Upon FDA approval, the Company received $12.5 million, and including the $79.5 million previously received, the Company recorded a gain on the sale of intellectual property, net of the write-off of certain assets, of $84.5 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2011. Pursuant to the amended agreement, the Company received $12.5 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2012, which was recorded net of amounts due to the inventor of Makena. The Company was to receive the remaining $95.0 million of the sales price over a period of 18 to 30 months from FDA approval (subject to further deferral elections) depending on which of two payment options KV selected. KV would also have owed the Company a 5% royalty on sales for certain time periods determined based upon the payment option or deferral elections selected by KV. On August 4, 2012, KV and certain of its subsidiaries filed voluntary petitions for reorganization under Chapter 11 of Title 11 of the United States Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. The Company had been pursuing its claims against KV in these proceedings for amounts due to the Company under its agreement with KV, and in December 2012, the Company and KV executed a settlement agreement, which became effective on December 28, 2012 upon the Bankruptcy Court entering certain orders. Under the settlement agreement, the Company released KV from all claims in consideration of a $60.0 million payment. The Company recorded this amount in the first quarter of fiscal 2013, net of certain costs, including contingent fees and amounts due to the inventor of Makena, resulting in a gain of $53.9 million. The Company will receive no further payments from KV.

Marketable_Securities

Marketable Securities	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Investments Debt And Equity Securities [Abstract]	'
Marketable Securities	'
	(7) Marketable Securities
	The Company’s marketable securities are comprised of an equity security and mutual funds. The equity security is an investment in the common stock of a publicly traded company, and the mutual funds are used to fund a portion of the Company’s DCP. The equity security is classified as available-for-sale and is recorded at fair value with the unrealized gains or losses, net of tax, within accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), which is a component of stockholders’ equity. The mutual funds are classified as trading and are recorded at fair value with gains and losses recorded in other income (expense) in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
	The following reconciles the cost basis to the fair market value of the Company’s one equity security:
	Period Ended:	Cost		Gross Unrealized		Gross Unrealized		Fair Value
				Gains		Losses
	December 28, 2013	$	5,931	$	10,976	$	—	$	16,907
	September 28, 2013	$	5,931	$	12,156	$	—	$	18,087

Net_Loss_Income_Per_Share

Net (Loss) Income Per Share	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]	'
Net (Loss) Income Per Share	'
	(8) Net (Loss) Income Per Share
	A reconciliation of basic and diluted share amounts are as follows:
		Three Months Ended
		December 28,		December 29,
		2013		2012
	Basic weighted-average common shares outstanding		272,708		266,344
	Weighted-average common stock equivalents from assumed exercise of stock options and restricted stock units		—		3,035
	Diluted weighted-average common shares outstanding		272,708		269,379
	Weighted-average anti-dilutive shares related to:
	Outstanding stock options		7,199		8,207
	Restricted stock units		950		—
	As more fully discussed in Note 4, the Company has outstanding Convertible Notes. The Company’s policy is to net share settle its Convertible Notes, and any conversion premium, at the Company’s option, may be satisfied by issuing shares of common stock, cash or a combination of shares and cash. For both periods presented, shares potentially issuable for the conversion premium of the Convertible Notes were excluded from the calculation of earnings per share as their effect would have been anti-dilutive.

StockBased_Compensation

Stock-Based Compensation	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Disclosure Of Compensation Related Costs Sharebased Payments [Abstract]	'
Stock-Based Compensation	'
	(9) Stock-Based Compensation
	The following presents stock-based compensation expense in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations:
		Three Months Ended
		December 28,			December 29,
		2013			2012
	Cost of revenues	$	1,510		$	1,834
	Research and development		1,873			1,868
	Selling and marketing		1,749			2,201
	General and administrative		3,833			5,941
	Restructuring and divestiture		4,761			222
		$	13,726		$	12,066
	The Company granted approximately 2.0 million and 2.1 million stock options during the three months ended December 28, 2013 and December 29, 2012, respectively, with weighted-average exercise prices of $21.82 and $19.86, respectively. There were 14.7 million options outstanding at December 28, 2013 with a weighted-average exercise price of $19.79.
	The Company uses a binomial model to determine the fair value of its stock options. The weighted-average assumptions utilized to value these stock options are indicated in the following table:
		Three Months Ended
		December 28,			December 29,
		2013			2012
	Risk-free interest rate		1.2	%		0.5	%
	Expected volatility		41.4	%		43.7	%
	Expected life (in years)		4.4			4.4
	Dividend yield		—			—
	Weighted-average fair value of options granted	$	7.64		$	7.06
	The Company granted approximately 2.0 million and 1.8 million restricted stock units (RSUs) during the three months ended December 28, 2013 and December 29, 2012, respectively, with weighted-average grant date fair values of $21.51 and $19.86, respectively. As of December 28, 2013, there were 4.0 million unvested RSUs outstanding with a weighted-average grant date fair value of $20.18. The Company granted approximately 0.4 million performance stock units (PSUs) in the first quarter of fiscal 2014 to members of its senior management team. The PSUs were valued based on the Company’s stock price on the date of grant and have a weighted-average grant date fair value of $21.77. Each recipient of the PSUs is eligible to receive between zero and 200% of the target number of shares of the Company’s common stock at the end of three years provided the Company’s defined Return on Invested Capital metrics are achieved. The Company is recognizing compensation expense ratably over the required service period based on its estimate that it is probable the targeted number of shares will vest. The Company will cumulatively adjust compensation expense in the period it changes its estimate of the number of shares that are probable of vesting.
	In connection with appointing its new President and Chief Executive Officer in December 2013, the Company granted approximately 0.1 million market stock units (MSUs). The MSUs vest in three separate tranches in an amount of 1/3rd of the total amount of the award based on the Company’s stock price meeting certain defined average stock prices for consecutive 30 trading day periods. These MSUs were valued at an average of $18.65 using the Monte Carlo simulation model and each tranche has its own derived service period. The Company is recognizing compensation expense under the accelerated method as prescribed by ASC 718, Compensation-Stock Compensation. In the first quarter of fiscal 2013, the Company granted approximately 0.1 million MSUs to its then Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer. The MSUs were valued at $18.49 using the Monte Carlo simulation model. Each recipient of these MSUs is eligible to receive between zero and 200% of the target number of shares of the Company’s common stock at the end of three years provided the Company’s stock price achieves the defined measurement criteria. The Company is recognizing compensation expense over the required service period. For market-based awards, the compensation expense will be recognized by the Company regardless of whether the required criteria is met to receive such shares unless the requisite service period is not rendered. Due to the resignation of the former Chief Executive Officer in July 2013, his MSUs were forfeited and the related compensation expense previously recognized was reversed.
	The Company uses the straight-line attribution method to recognize stock-based compensation expense for stock options and RSUs. The vesting term of stock options granted to employees is generally five years with annual vesting of 20% per year on the anniversary of the grant date, and RSUs granted to employees generally vest over four years with annual vesting at 25% per year on the anniversary of the grant date. The amount of stock-based compensation expense recognized during a period is based on the value of the portion of the awards that is ultimately expected to vest. Based on an analysis of historical forfeitures, the Company has determined a specific forfeiture rate for certain employee groups and has applied forfeiture rates ranging from 0% to 6% as of December 28, 2013. This analysis is periodically re-evaluated and forfeiture rates will be adjusted as necessary. Ultimately, the actual stock-based compensation expense recognized will only be for those stock options and RSUs that vest.
	At December 28, 2013, there was $36.6 million and $85.6 million of unrecognized compensation expense related to stock options and stock units (comprised of RSUs, MSUs and PSUs), respectively, to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 3.7 years and 3.2 years, respectively.

Other_Balance_Sheet_Informatio

Other Balance Sheet Information	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Text Block [Abstract]	'
Other Balance Sheet Information	'
	(10) Other Balance Sheet Information
		December 28,			September 28,
		2013			2013
	Inventories
	Raw materials	$	110,828		$	115,575
	Work-in-process		56,653			51,171
	Finished goods		134,228			122,617
		$	301,709		$	289,363
	Property, plant and equipment
	Equipment and software	$	327,990		$	318,473
	Equipment under customer usage agreements		279,386			275,696
	Building and improvements		173,489			171,469
	Leasehold improvements		63,643			68,159
	Land		51,659			51,633
	Furniture and fixtures		16,654			22,628
			912,821			908,058
	Less – accumulated depreciation and amortization		(433,086	)		(416,530	)
		$	479,735		$	491,528

Business_Segments_and_Geograph

Business Segments and Geographic Information	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Segment Reporting [Abstract]	'
Business Segments and Geographic Information	'
	(11) Business Segments and Geographic Information
	The Company has four reportable segments: Diagnostics, Breast Health, GYN Surgical and Skeletal Health. Certain reportable segments represent an aggregation of operating units within each segment. The Company measures and evaluates its reportable segments based on segment revenues and operating income adjusted to exclude the effect of non-cash charges, such as intangible asset amortization expense, intangible asset impairment charges, contingent consideration charges, restructuring and divestiture charges and other one-time or unusual items and related tax effects.
	Identifiable assets for the four principal operating segments consist of inventories, intangible assets including goodwill, and property, plant and equipment. The Company fully allocates depreciation expense to its four reportable segments. The Company has presented all other identifiable assets as corporate assets. There were no intersegment revenues during the three months ended December 28, 2013 and December 29, 2012. Segment information is as follows:
		Three Months Ended
		December 28,			December 29,
		2013			2012
	Total revenues:
	Diagnostics	$	285,766		$	305,916
	Breast Health		226,491			220,808
	GYN Surgical		78,854			80,909
	Skeletal Health		21,337			23,729
		$	612,448		$	631,362
	Operating income:
	Diagnostics	$	4,754		$	14,295
	Breast Health		43,849			44,946
	GYN Surgical		11,123			622
	Skeletal Health		1,559			3,366
		$	61,285		$	63,229
	Depreciation and amortization:
	Diagnostics	$	92,186		$	91,542
	Breast Health		9,361			9,930
	GYN Surgical		26,046			26,479
	Skeletal Health		226			204
		$	127,819		$	128,155
	Capital expenditures:
	Diagnostics	$	10,256		$	13,853
	Breast Health		1,805			3,580
	GYN Surgical		1,786			2,745
	Skeletal Health		142			179
	Corporate		2,396			2,090
		$	16,385		$	22,447
		December 28,			September 28,
		2013			2013
	Identifiable assets:
	Diagnostics	$	4,598,845		$	4,667,942
	Breast Health		920,121			932,206
	GYN Surgical		1,825,174			1,849,518
	Skeletal Health		34,546			33,508
	Corporate		1,105,622			1,517,649
		$	8,484,308		$	9,000,823
	The Company had no customers with balances greater than 10% of accounts receivable as of December 28, 2013 or September 28, 2013, or any customer that represented greater than 10% of product revenues during the three months ended December 28, 2013 and December 29, 2012.
	Products sold by the Company internationally are manufactured at both domestic and international locations. Transfers between the Company and its subsidiaries are generally recorded at amounts similar to the prices paid by unaffiliated foreign dealers. All intercompany profit is eliminated in consolidation.
	The Company operates in the following major geographic areas as noted in the below chart. Revenue data is based upon customer location, and internationally totaled $154.9 million and $170.1 million during the three months ended December 28, 2013 and December 29, 2012, respectively. Other than the United States, no single country accounted for more than 10% of consolidated revenues. The Company’s sales in Europe are predominantly derived from France, Germany and the United Kingdom. The Company’s sales in Asia-Pacific are predominantly derived from China, Australia and Japan. The “All others” designation includes Canada, Latin America and the Middle East.
	Revenues by geography as a percentage of total revenues are as follows:
		Three Months Ended
		December 28,			December 29,
		2013			2012
	United States		75	%		73	%
	Europe		14	%		14	%
	Asia-Pacific		7	%		9	%
	All others		4	%		4	%
			100	%		100	%

Income_Taxes

Income Taxes	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]	'
Income Taxes	'
	(12) Income Taxes
	In accordance with ASC 740, Income Taxes, each interim period is considered integral to the annual period and tax expense is measured using an estimated annual effective tax rate. An entity is required to record income tax expense each quarter based on its annual effective tax rate estimated for the full fiscal year and use that rate to provide for income taxes on a current year-to-date basis, adjusted for discrete taxable events that occur during the interim period. If, however, the entity is unable to reliably estimate its annual effective tax rate, then the actual effective tax rate for the year-to-date may be the best annual effective tax rate estimate. For the three months ended December 29, 2012, the Company determined that it was unable to make a reliable annual effective tax rate estimate due to the rate sensitivity as it related to its forecasted fiscal 2013 results. Therefore, the Company recorded a tax benefit for the three months ended December 29, 2012 based on the effective rate for the three months ended December 29, 2012.
	The Company’s effective tax rate for the three months ended December 28, 2013 was negative 277.1%, or a provision on a pre-tax loss, compared to a 142.4% benefit on a pre-tax loss for the three months ended December 29, 2012. For the three months ended December 28, 2013, the effective tax rate differed from the statutory rate primarily due to unbenefited foreign losses. For the three months ended December 29, 2012, the tax rate benefit was primarily due to a $19.4 million valuation allowance release related to built-in capital losses, that the Company has concluded are more likely than not realizable as a result of the $53.9 million gain recorded on the Makena sale (see Note 6), partially offset by non-deductible contingent consideration compensation expense related to TCT and Interlace.
	At December 28, 2013, the Company has recorded $1.45 billion of net deferred tax liabilities compared to $1.58 billion at September 28, 2013. The Company’s deferred tax assets are periodically evaluated to determine their recoverability.
	The Company has $126.6 million in gross unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest, at December 28, 2013. Total gross unrecognized tax benefits increased by $4.8 million from September 28, 2013. At December 28, 2013, $60.2 million in unrecognized tax benefits, if recognized, would reduce the Company’s effective tax rate. The remaining $66.4 million is related to temporary differences that would not affect the Company’s effective tax rate. The Company’s policy is to recognize accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits and income tax liabilities in income tax expense. At December 28, 2013, accrued interest and penalties was $4.5 million.
	The Internal Revenue Service is examining the Company’s fiscal year 2011 consolidated federal income tax return and Gen-Probe’s consolidated federal income tax returns for calendar years 2010 through the 2012 acquisition date.

Goodwill_and_Intangible_Assets

Goodwill and Intangible Assets	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Goodwill And Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]	'
Goodwill and Intangible Assets	'
	(13) Goodwill and Intangible Assets
	Goodwill
	A rollforward of goodwill activity by reportable segment from September 28, 2013 to December 28, 2013 is as follows:
		Breast Health			Diagnostics			GYN Surgical		Skeletal Health		Total
	Balance at September 28, 2013	$	636,365		$	1,153,554		$	1,016,456	$	8,153	$	2,814,528
	Disposition of a portion of a reporting unit		—			(86	)		—		—		(86	)
	Tax adjustments		—			(151	)		—		—		(151	)
	Foreign currency and other		(1,662	)		1,090			179		9		(384	)
	Balance at December 28, 2013	$	634,703		$	1,154,407		$	1,016,635	$	8,162	$	2,813,907
	Intangible Assets
	Intangible assets consisted of the following:
	Description	As of December 28, 2013						As of September 28, 2013
		Gross			Accumulated			Gross		Accumulated
		Carrying			Amortization			Carrying		Amortization
		Value						Value
	Developed technology	$	4,006,670		$	1,170,604		$	4,008,947	$	1,094,435
	In-process research and development		24,000			—			24,000		—
	Customer relationships and contracts		1,102,221			318,695			1,101,870		296,481
	Trade names		238,071			85,817			238,103		81,844
	Patents		13,153			8,558			13,026		8,495
	Business licenses		2,669			689			2,647		616
	Non-competition agreements		285			285			296		296
	Totals	$	5,387,069		$	1,584,648		$	5,388,889	$	1,482,167
	The estimated remaining amortization expense as of December 28, 2013 for each of the five succeeding fiscal years is as follows:
	Remainder of Fiscal 2014	$	307,704
	Fiscal 2015	$	395,750
	Fiscal 2016	$	381,987
	Fiscal 2017	$	372,751
	Fiscal 2018	$	362,226

Product_Warranties

Product Warranties	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Guarantees [Abstract]	'
Product Warranties	'
	(14) Product Warranties
	Product warranty activity was as follows:
		Balance at		Provisions		Settlements/			Balance at
		Beginning of				Adjustments			End of Period
		Period
	Three Months Ended:
	December 28, 2013	$	9,258	$	2,016	$	(2,357	)	$	8,917
	December 29, 2012	$	6,179	$	3,131	$	(2,739	)	$	6,571

Equity

Equity	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Equity [Abstract]	'
Equity	'
	(15) Equity
	Stockholder Rights Agreement
	On November 20, 2013, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a “Right”) for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company, to purchase from the Company one ten-thousandth of a share of newly designated Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the “Preferred Stock”) at a price of $107.00 per one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, subject to adjustment as provided in the Rights Agreement. The dividend is payable to stockholders of record at the close of business on December 2, 2013 (the “Record Date”). The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement, dated as of November 21, 2013, as the same may be amended from time to time (the “Rights Agreement”), between the Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, as Rights Agent.
	The Rights Agreement became effective on November 21, 2013 (the “Effective Date”). Upon and following the Effective Date, Rights will be issued in respect of all outstanding shares of Common Stock on the Record Date, and for all shares of Common Stock issued after the Record Date and, subject to the terms described in the Rights Agreement, prior to the earliest of the Distribution Date (as defined in the Rights Agreement), the redemption of the Rights or the expiration of the Rights.
	The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. Upon the Distribution Date, the Rights separate from the Common Stock and become exercisable. The Distribution Date is the earlier of (i) 10 business days from the public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons has become an Acquiring Person (as defined below) or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board) from the commencement of, or public announcement of an intention to make, a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in any person or group of affiliated persons becoming an Acquiring Person. Generally, an Acquiring Person is a person or group of affiliated or associated persons that acquire beneficial ownership of 10% (15% in the case of a passive institutional investor) or more of the outstanding shares of common stock. The Rights will expire on November 20, 2014, unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company, in each case as defined in the Rights Agreement.
	The Rights Agreement is a derivative under ASC 815. The Company has determined that any value assigned would be insignificant and as such has not recorded any amounts for this derivative in its consolidated financial statements.
	Stock Repurchase Program
	On November 11, 2013, the Company announced that its Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $250 million of the Company’s outstanding common stock over the next three years. Under the stock repurchase program, the Company is authorized to repurchase, from time-to-time, shares of its outstanding common stock on the open market or in privately negotiated transactions in the United States. The timing and amount of stock repurchases will be determined based upon the Company’s evaluation of market conditions and other factors. The stock repurchase program may be suspended, modified or discontinued at any time, and the Company has no obligation to repurchase any amount of its common stock under the program. Through December 28, 2013, the Company had not repurchased any shares of its common stock under this program.

Pension_and_Other_Employee_Ben

Pension and Other Employee Benefits	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Compensation And Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]	'
Pension and Other Employee Benefits	'
	(16) Pension and Other Employee Benefits
	The Company has certain defined benefit pension plans covering the employees of its Hitec-Imaging German subsidiary (formerly AEG). As of December 28, 2013 and September 28, 2013, the Company’s pension liability related to its German employees was $10.2 million and $10.1 million, respectively, which is primarily recorded as a component of long-term liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of December 28, 2013 and September 28, 2013, the pension plans held no assets. The Company also has defined benefit pension plans covering its Swiss employees as required by the Swiss government. The Company’s net pension liability related to its Swiss employees as of December 28, 2013 was $0.8 million. The Company’s net periodic benefit cost and components thereof were not material during the three months ended December 28, 2013 and December 29, 2012.

New_Accounting_Pronouncements

New Accounting Pronouncements	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Accounting Changes And Error Corrections [Abstract]	'
New Accounting Pronouncements	'
	(17) New Accounting Pronouncements
	In July 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2013-11, Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exist. ASU 2013-11 amends the presentation requirements of ASC 740, Income Taxes, and requires an unrecognized tax benefit to be presented in the financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward. To the extent the tax benefit is not available at the reporting date under the governing tax law or if the entity does not intend to use the deferred tax asset for such purpose, the unrecognized tax benefit should be presented as a liability and not combined with deferred tax assets. The ASU is effective for annual periods, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013, which is fiscal 2015 for the Company. The amendments are to be applied to all unrecognized tax benefits that exist as of the effective date and may be applied retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of ASU 2013-11 on its consolidated financial statements.

Supplemental_Guarantor_Condens

Supplemental Guarantor Condensed Consolidating Financials	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]	'
Supplemental Guarantor Condensed Consolidating Financials	'
	(18) Supplemental Guarantor Condensed Consolidating Financials
	The Company’s Senior Notes are fully and unconditionally and jointly and severally guaranteed by Hologic, Inc. (“Parent/Issuer”) and certain of its domestic subsidiaries, which are 100% owned by Hologic, Inc. The following represents the supplemental condensed financial information of Hologic, Inc. and its guarantor and non-guarantor subsidiaries, as of December 28, 2013 and September 28, 2013 and for the three months ended December 28, 2013 and December 29, 2012, as applicable.
	SUPPLEMENTAL CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
	For the Three Months Ended December 28, 2013
		Parent/Issuer			Guarantor			Non-Guarantor			Eliminations			Consolidated
					Subsidiaries			Subsidiaries
	Revenues:
	Product sales	$	105,456		$	381,568		$	126,403		$	(101,045	)	$	512,382
	Service and other revenues		85,946			15,873			11,744			(13,497	)		100,066
			191,402			397,441			138,147			(114,542	)		612,448
	Costs and expenses:
	Cost of product sales		52,873			138,760			86,290			(101,045	)		176,878
	Cost of product sales – amortization of intangible assets		1,397			74,109			1,160			—			76,666
	Cost of service and other revenues		42,320			7,642			16,843			(13,497	)		53,308
	Research and development		7,517			38,851			2,301			—			48,669
	Selling and marketing		17,926			42,775			22,556			—			83,257
	General and administrative		14,656			41,494			11,669			—			67,819
	Amortization of intangible assets		779			24,163			1,274			—			26,216
	Restructuring and divestiture charges		4,990			9,756			3,604			—			18,350
			142,458			377,550			145,697			(114,542	)		551,163
	Income from operations		48,944			19,891			(7,550	)		—			61,285
	Interest income		99			305			194			(242	)		356
	Interest expense		(60,654	)		(308	)		(570	)		242			(61,290	)
	Debt extinguishment loss		(2,940	)		—			—			—			(2,940	)
	Other income (expense), net		9,565			(9,344	)		949			—			1,170
	(Loss) income before income taxes		(4,986	)		10,544			(6,977	)		—			(1,419	)
	Provision (benefit) for income taxes		(59	)		1,560			2,431			—			3,932
	Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries		(424	)		10,088			—			(9,664	)		—
	Net (loss) income	$	(5,351	)	$	19,072		$	(9,408	)	$	(9,664	)	$	(5,351	)
	SUPPLEMENTAL CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
	For the Three Months Ended December 29, 2012
		Parent/Issuer			Guarantor			Non-Guarantor			Eliminations			Consolidated
					Subsidiaries			Subsidiaries
	Revenues:
	Product sales	$	98,043		$	379,771		$	131,127		$	(75,687	)	$	533,254
	Service and other revenues		77,960			21,141			11,820			(12,813	)		98,108
			176,003			400,912			142,947			(88,500	)		631,362
	Costs and expenses:
	Cost of product sales		53,520			163,895			80,599			(75,687	)		222,327
	Cost of product sales – amortization of intangible assets		1,306			72,917			1,064			—			75,287
	Cost of service and other revenues		38,378			15,591			10,919			(12,813	)		52,075
	Research and development		7,418			41,753			2,338			—			51,509
	Selling and marketing		20,773			47,365			26,305			—			94,443
	General and administrative		15,320			31,016			8,055			—			54,391
	Amortization of intangible assets		678			26,649			1,199			—			28,526
	Contingent consideration – compensation expense		29,486			—			—			—			29,486
	Contingent consideration – fair value adjustments		10,040			—			—			—			10,040
	Gain on sale of intellectual property		—			(53,884	)		—			—			(53,884	)
	Restructuring and divestiture charges		221			3,286			426			—			3,933
			177,140			348,588			130,905			(88,500	)		568,133
	Income (loss) from operations		(1,137	)		52,324			12,042			—			63,229
	Interest income		131			42			87			—			260
	Interest expense		(71,254	)		(314	)		(513	)		—			(72,081	)
	Other income (expense), net		119			(4,046	)		5,180			(14	)		1,239
	(Loss) income before income taxes		(72,141	)		48,006			16,796			(14	)		(7,353	)
	(Benefit) provision for income taxes		(11,747	)		(3,114	)		4,390			—			(10,471	)
	Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries		63,512			10,934			—			(74,446	)		—
	Net income (loss)	$	3,118		$	62,054		$	12,406		$	(74,460	)	$	3,118
	SUPPLEMENTAL CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
	For the Three Months Ended December 28, 2013
		Parent/Issuer			Guarantor			Non-Guarantor			Eliminations			Consolidated
					Subsidiaries			Subsidiaries
	Net (loss) income	$	(5,351	)	$	19,072		$	(9,408	)	$	(9,664	)	$	(5,351	)
Change in cumulative translation adjustment		—			89			(1,277	)		—			(1,188	)
Unrealized loss on available-for-sale security		—			(1,180	)		—			—			(1,180	)
Adjustment to minimum pension liability, net of taxes		—			—			(615	)		—			(615	)
Comprehensive (loss) income	$	(5,351	)	$	17,981		$	(11,300	)	$	(9,664	)	$	(8,334	)
For the Three Months Ended December 29, 2012
	Parent/Issuer			Guarantor			Non-Guarantor			Eliminations			Consolidated
				Subsidiaries			Subsidiaries
Net income (loss)	$	3,118		$	62,054		$	12,406		$	(74,460	)	$	3,118
Change in cumulative translation adjustment		—			577			1,392			—			1,969
Unrealized loss on available-for-sale security		—			(557	)		—			—			(557	)
Comprehensive income (loss)	$	3,118		$	62,074		$	13,798		$	(74,460	)	$	4,530
SUPPLEMENTAL CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
December 28, 2013
	Parent/Issuer			Guarantor			Non-Guarantor			Eliminations			Consolidated
				Subsidiaries			Subsidiaries
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	105,467		$	237,040		$	99,981		$	—		$	442,488
Restricted cash		—			—			6,149			—			6,149
Accounts receivable, net		112,650			177,153			104,668			—			394,471
Inventories		84,863			164,027			52,819			—			301,709
Deferred income tax assets		14,953			19,665			735			—			35,353
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		17,398			18,199			11,172			—			46,769
Prepaid income taxes		—			2,475			—			(2,475	)		—
Intercompany receivables		—			2,512,661			38,572			(2,551,233	)		—
Total current assets		335,331			3,131,220			314,096			(2,553,708	)		1,226,939
Property, plant and equipment, net		29,489			347,764			102,482			—			479,735
Intangible assets, net		17,730			3,686,929			97,762			—			3,802,421
Goodwill		282,448			2,391,882			139,577			—			2,813,907
Long-term intercompany notes receivable		—			144,000			—			(144,000	)		—
Other assets		110,033			49,424			1,849			—			161,306
Investment in subsidiaries		8,669,060			199,034			279			(8,868,373	)		—
Total assets	$	9,444,091		$	9,950,253		$	656,045		$	(11,566,081	)	$	8,484,308
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt	$	77,033		$	—		$	—		$	—		$	77,033
Accounts payable		28,610			51,945			10,411			—			90,966
Accrued expenses		216,379			66,514			43,978			(2,741	)		324,130
Deferred revenue		99,648			8,404			28,076			—			136,128
Intercompany payables		2,511,416			—			42,576			(2,553,992	)		—
Total current liabilities		2,933,086			126,863			125,041			(2,556,733	)		628,257
Long-term debt, net of current portion		4,224,732			—			—			—			4,224,732
Deferred income tax liabilities		75,995			1,398,678			10,792			—			1,485,465
Deferred service obligations – long-term		9,844			3,476			10,936			—			24,256
Other long-term liabilities		105,903			29,774			35,390			—			171,067
Long-term intercompany notes payable		144,000			—			—			(144,000	)		—
Total stockholders’ equity		1,950,531			8,391,462			473,886			(8,865,348	)		1,950,531
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$	9,444,091		$	9,950,253		$	656,045		$	(11,566,081	)	$	8,484,308
SUPPLEMENTAL CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
September 28, 2013
	Parent/Issuer			Guarantor			Non-Guarantor			Eliminations			Consolidated
				Subsidiaries			Subsidiaries
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	321,523		$	387,422		$	113,545		$	—		$	822,490
Restricted cash		—			—			6,914			—			6,914
Accounts receivable, net		126,036			174,433			108,804			—			409,273
Inventories		81,924			146,678			60,761			—			289,363
Deferred income tax assets		—			19,042			494			(19,536	)		—
Prepaid income taxes		47,131			2,303			—			(4,689	)		44,745
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		16,246			21,112			11,003			—			48,361
Intercompany receivables		—			2,442,502			31,949			(2,474,451	)		—
Other current assets – assets held-for-sale		—			—			2,997			—			2,997
Total current assets		592,860			3,193,492			336,467			(2,498,676	)		1,624,143
Property, plant and equipment, net		29,313			356,736			105,479			—			491,528
Intangible assets, net		19,925			3,784,987			101,810			—			3,906,722
Goodwill		283,038			2,390,939			140,551			—			2,814,528
Other assets		103,548			58,446			1,908			—			163,902
Investments in subsidiaries		8,667,620			129,016			2,296			(8,798,932	)		—
Total assets	$	9,696,304		$	9,913,616		$	688,511		$	(11,297,608	)	$	9,000,823
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt	$	563,812		$	—		$	—		$	—		$	563,812
Accounts payable		27,865			42,661			10,008			—			80,534
Accrued expenses		152,950			79,629			44,319			(4,967	)		271,931
Deferred revenue		93,306			7,958			31,055			—			132,319
Deferred income tax liabilities		59,346			—			—			(19,536	)		39,810
Intercompany payables		2,418,089			—			64,411			(2,482,500	)		—
Total current liabilities		3,315,368			130,248			149,793			(2,507,003	)		1,088,406
Long-term debt, net of current portion		4,242,098			—			—			—			4,242,098
Deferred income tax liabilities		89,085			1,435,522			10,699			—			1,535,306
Deferred service obligations – long-term		11,251			3,511			12,864			(2,170	)		25,456
Other long-term liabilities		96,990			37,598			33,456			—			168,044
Total stockholders’ equity		1,941,512			8,306,737			481,699			(8,788,435	)		1,941,513
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$	9,696,304		$	9,913,616		$	688,511		$	(11,297,608	)	$	9,000,823
CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
For the Three Months Ended December 28, 2013
	Parent/Issuer			Guarantor			Non-Guarantor			Eliminations			Consolidated
				Subsidiaries			Subsidiaries
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net cash provided by operating activities	$	301,568		$	(141,991	)	$	(10,311	)	$	—		$	149,266
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Proceeds from sale of business, net		—			—			2,431			—			2,431
Purchase of property and equipment		(2,873	)		(3,210	)		(2,334	)		—			(8,417	)
Increase in equipment under customer usage agreements		(418	)		(4,265	)		(3,285	)		—			(7,968	)
Net sales (purchases) of insurance contracts		13,841			—			—			—			13,841
Purchases of mutual funds		(29,732	)		—			—			—			(29,732	)
Sales of mutual funds		15,891			—			—			—			15,891
(Increase) decrease in other assets		106			(1,004	)		469			—			(429	)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		(3,185	)		(8,479	)		(2,719	)		—			(14,383	)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Repayment of long-term debt		(521,250	)		—			—			—			(521,250	)
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock plans		12,906			—			—			—			12,906
Excess tax benefit related to equity awards		2,959			—			—			—			2,959
Payment of employee restricted stock minimum tax withholdings		(9,054	)		—			—			—			(9,054	)
Net cash used in financing activities		(514,439	)		—			—			—			(514,439	)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents		—			88			(534	)		—			(446	)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents		(216,056	)		(150,382	)		(13,564	)		—			(380,002	)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period		321,523			387,422			113,545			—			822,490
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$	105,467		$	237,040		$	99,981		$	—		$	442,488
CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
For the Three Months Ended December 29, 2012
	Parent/Issuer			Guarantor			Non-Guarantor			Eliminations			Consolidated
				Subsidiaries			Subsidiaries
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net cash provided by operating activities	$	112,839		$	30,075		$	12,111		$	—		$	155,025
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Payment of additional acquisition consideration		(16,808	)		—			—			—			(16,808	)
Proceeds from sale of business, net		—						1,488			—			1,488
Proceeds from sale of intellectual property		—			60,000			—			—			60,000
Purchase of property and equipment		(2,887	)		(6,037	)		(2,309	)		—			(11,233	)
Increase in equipment under customer usage agreements		(286	)		(7,172	)		(3,756	)		—			(11,214	)
Purchase of insurance contracts		(4,000	)		—			—			—			(4,000	)
Purchase of cost-method investments		(3,400	)		(225	)		—			—			(3,625	)
(Increase) decrease in other assets		(1,967	)		(478	)		3,589			—			1,144
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		(29,348	)		46,088			(988	)		—			15,752
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Repayment of long-term debt		(16,250	)		—			—			—			(16,250	)
Payment of contingent consideration		(3,408	)		—			—			—			(3,408	)
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock plans		12,777			—			—			—			12,777
Excess tax benefit related to equity awards		2,185			—			—			—			2,185
Payment of employee restricted stock minimum tax withholdings		(7,885	)		—			—			—			(7,885	)
Net cash used in financing activities		(12,581	)		—			—			—			(12,581	)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents		—			(2,387	)		2,232			—			(155	)
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents		70,910			73,776			13,355			—			158,041
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period		210,028			269,416			80,986			—			560,430
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$	280,938		$	343,192		$	94,341		$	—		$	718,471

New_Accounting_Pronouncements_

New Accounting Pronouncements (Policies)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Accounting Changes And Error Corrections [Abstract]	'
New Accounting Pronouncements	'
	New Accounting Pronouncements
	In July 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2013-11, Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exist. ASU 2013-11 amends the presentation requirements of ASC 740, Income Taxes, and requires an unrecognized tax benefit to be presented in the financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward. To the extent the tax benefit is not available at the reporting date under the governing tax law or if the entity does not intend to use the deferred tax asset for such purpose, the unrecognized tax benefit should be presented as a liability and not combined with deferred tax assets. The ASU is effective for annual periods, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013, which is fiscal 2015 for the Company. The amendments are to be applied to all unrecognized tax benefits that exist as of the effective date and may be applied retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of ASU 2013-11 on its consolidated financial statements.

Fair_Value_Measurements_Tables

Fair Value Measurements (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]	'
Fair Value Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis	'
	Assets and liabilities measured and recorded at fair value on a recurring basis consisted of the following at December 28, 2013:
					Fair Value at Reporting Date Using
		Balance as of			Quoted Prices in			Significant		Significant
		December 28,			Active Market for			Other		Unobservable
		2013			Identical Assets			Observable		Inputs (Level 3)
					(Level 1)			Inputs (Level 2)
	Assets:
	Marketable securities:
	Equity security	$	16,907		$	16,907		$	—	$	—
	Mutual funds		21,243			21,243			—		—
	Total	$	38,150		$	38,150		$	—	$	—
	Liabilities:
	Deferred compensation liabilities	$	44,009		$	44,009		$	—	$	—
	Contingent consideration		3,647			—			—		3,647
	Total	$	47,656		$	44,009		$	—	$	3,647
Changes in Fair Value of Recurring Fair Value Measurements Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3),Consisting of Contingent Consideration Liabilities	'
	Changes in the fair value of recurring fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3), which solely consisted of contingent consideration liabilities, were as follows:
		Three Months Ended
		December 28,			December 29,
		2013			2012
	Balance at beginning of period	$	3,780		$	86,368
	Fair value adjustments		—			10,040
	Payments made		(133	)		(3,408	)
	Balance at end of period	$	3,647		$	93,000
Schedule of Estimated Fair Value of Buildings and Cost-Method Equity Investment Measured on Nonrecurring Basis	'
	The following chart depicts the level of inputs within the fair value hierarchy used to estimate the fair value of buildings and a cost-method equity investment measured on a nonrecurring basis for which the Company recorded impairment charges:
					Fair Value Measurements Using
		Fair Value			Quoted Prices in		Significant	Significant		Total Gains
					Active Market for		Other	Unobservable		(Losses)
					Identical Assets		Observable	Inputs (Level 3)
					(Level 1)		Inputs (Level 2)
	Fiscal 2014:
	Buildings	$	1,388					$	1,388	$	(3,132	)
	Cost-method equity investment		778						778		(705	)
										$	(3,837	)
Estimated Fair Values of Convertible Notes	'
	The estimated fair values of the Company’s Convertible Notes were as follows:
		December 28,			September 28,
		2013			2013
	2007 Notes	$	—		$	405,000
	2010 Notes		527,900			510,800
	2012 Notes		509,400			518,800
	2013 Notes		391,500			385,700
		$	1,428,800		$	1,820,300

Restructuring_and_Divestiture_1

Restructuring and Divestiture Charges (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Restructuring And Related Activities [Abstract]	'
Charges Taken Related to Restructuring Actions	'
	The following table displays charges taken related to restructuring actions in fiscal 2014, 2013 and 2012 and a rollforward of the charges to the accrued balances as of December 28, 2013:
	Restructuring and Divestiture Charges	Consolidation of			Closure of			Fiscal 2014			Fiscal 2013			Other			Total
		Diagnostics			Indianapolis			Actions			Actions			Operating
		Operations			Facility									Cost
														Reductions
	Fiscal 2012 charges:
	Non-cash impairment charge	$	585		$	—		$	—		$	—		$	—		$	585
	Purchase orders and other contractual obligations		—			—			—			—			351			351
	Workforce reductions		14,202			879			—			—			168			15,249
	Facility closure costs		—			—			—			—			430			430
	Other		—			900			—			—			—			900
	Total fiscal 2012 charges	$	14,787		$	1,779		$	—		$	—		$	949		$	17,515
	Fiscal 2013 charges:
	Workforce reductions	$	13,950		$	4,805		$	—		$	11,332		$	1,127		$	31,214
	Facility closure costs		—			173			—			—			377			550
	Other		—			651			—			42			236			929
	Fiscal 2013 restructuring charges	$	13,950		$	5,629		$	—		$	11,374		$	1,740		$	32,693
	Divestiture net charges		—			—			—			—			—			112
	Fiscal 2013 restructuring and divestiture charges	$	13,950		$	5,629		$	—		$	11,374		$	1,740		$	32,805
	Fiscal 2014 charges:
	Workforce reductions	$	796		$	238		$	12,933		$	671		$	—		$	14,638
	Property impairment		—			—			—			—			3,132			3,132
	Facility closure costs		—			445			—			—			—			445
	Other		—			—			—			—			49			49
	Fiscal 2014 restructuring charges	$	796		$	683		$	12,933		$	671		$	3,181		$	18,264
	Divestiture net charges		—			—			—			—			—			86
	Fiscal 2014 restructuring and divestiture charges	$	796		$	683		$	12,933		$	671		$	3,181		$	18,350
Charges Taken Related to Accrued Restructuring Actions	'
	Rollforward of Accrued Restructuring
	Total fiscal 2012 charges	$	14,787		$	1,779		$	—		$	—		$	949		$	17,515
	Non-cash impairment charges		(585	)		—			—			—			—			(585	)
	Stock compensation		(3,500	)		—			—			—			—			(3,500	)
	Severance payments		(2,423	)		—			—			—			(206	)		(2,629	)
	Other payments		—			—			—			—			(781	)		(781	)
	Acquired		83			—			—			—			—			83
	Foreign exchange and other adjustments		22			—			—			—			91			113
	Balance at September 29, 2012	$	8,384		$	1,779		$	—		$	—		$	53		$	10,216
	Fiscal 2013 restructuring charges	$	13,950		$	5,629			—		$	11,374		$	1,740		$	32,693
	Stock compensation		(6,322	)		—			—			(1,595	)		—			(7,917	)
	Non-cash impairment charges		—			—			—			—			(54	)		(54	)
	Severance payments		(13,068	)		(3,048	)		—			(4,425	)		(897	)		(21,438	)
	Other payments		—			(566	)		—			(25	)		(560	)		(1,151	)
	Foreign exchange and other adjustments		(2	)		—			—			(14	)		6			(10	)
	Balance at September 28, 2013	$	2,942		$	3,794		$	—		$	5,315		$	288		$	12,339
	Fiscal 2014 restructuring charges	$	796		$	683		$	12,934		$	670		$	3,181		$	18,264
	Stock compensation		—			—			(4,731	)		(30	)		—			(4,761	)
	Non-cash impairment charges		—			—			—			—			(3,132	)		(3,132	)
	Severance payments		(251	)		(3,153	)		(3,748	)		(1,939	)		(268	)		(9,359	)
	Other payments		—			(275	)		—			—			(49	)		(324	)
	Foreign exchange and other adjustments		—			—			—			—			5			5
	Balance at December 28, 2013	$	3,487		$	1,049		$	4,455		$	4,016		$	25		$	13,032

Borrowings_and_Credit_Arrangem1

Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]	'
Company's Borrowings	'
	Company’s borrowings consisted of the following:
		December 28, 2013			September 28, 2013
	Current debt obligations, net of debt discount:
	Term Loan A	$	62,165		$	49,713
	Term Loan B		14,868			113,966
	Convertible Notes		—			400,133
	Total current debt obligations		77,033			563,812
	Long-term debt obligations, net of debt discount:
	Term Loan A		870,315			894,834
	Term Loan B		1,155,973			1,159,272
	Senior Notes		1,000,000			1,000,000
	Convertible Notes		1,198,444			1,187,992
	Total long-term debt obligations		4,224,732			4,242,098
	Total debt obligations	$	4,301,765		$	4,805,910
Convertible Notes and Related Equity Components	'
	The Convertible Notes and related equity components (recorded in additional paid-in-capital, net of deferred taxes) consisted of the following:
		December 28,			September 28,
		2013			2013
	2007 Notes principal amount	$	—		$	405,000
	Unamortized discount		—			(4,867	)
	Net carrying amount	$	—		$	400,133
	Equity component, net of taxes	$	—		$	121,496
	2010 Notes principal amount	$	450,000		$	450,000
	Unamortized discount		(54,193	)		(58,310	)
	Net carrying amount	$	395,807		$	391,690
	Equity component, net of taxes	$	60,054		$	60,054
	2012 Notes principal amount	$	500,000		$	500,000
	Unamortized discount		(32,851	)		(34,630	)
	Net carrying amount	$	467,149		$	465,370
	Equity component, net of taxes	$	49,195		$	49,195
	2013 Notes principal amount	$	370,000		$	370,000
	Principal accretion		12,999			9,225
	Unamortized discount		(47,511	)		(48,293	)
	Net carrying amount	$	335,488		$	330,932
	Equity component, net of taxes	$	131,451		$	131,451
Interest Expense under Convertible Notes	'
	Interest expense under the Convertible Notes is as follows:
		Three months ended
		December 28,			December 29,
		2013			2012
	Amortization of debt discount	$	11,546		$	15,644
	Amortization of deferred financing costs		650			908
	Principal accretion		3,774			—
	Non-cash interest expense		15,970			16,552
	2.00% accrued interest		8,119			8,610
		$	24,089		$	25,162

Commitments_and_Contingencies_

Commitments and Contingencies (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]	'
Summary of Contingent Consideration Charges Recorded to the Consolidated Statements of Operations	'
	A summary of amounts recorded to the Consolidated Statements of Operations in the first quarter of fiscal 2013 is as follows:
	Statement of Operations Line Item – 3 Months Ended December 29, 2012	Interlace		TCT		Total
	Contingent consideration – compensation expense	$	—	$	29,486	$	29,486
	Contingent consideration – fair value adjustments		10,040		—		10,040
		$	10,040	$	29,486	$	39,526

Marketable_Securities_Tables

Marketable Securities (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Investments Debt And Equity Securities [Abstract]	'
Reconciles Cost Basis to Fair Market Value of Company's One Equity Security	'
	The following reconciles the cost basis to the fair market value of the Company’s one equity security:
	Period Ended:	Cost		Gross Unrealized		Gross Unrealized		Fair Value
				Gains		Losses
	December 28, 2013	$	5,931	$	10,976	$	—	$	16,907
	September 28, 2013	$	5,931	$	12,156	$	—	$	18,087

Net_Loss_Income_Per_Share_Tabl

Net (Loss) Income Per Share (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]	'
Reconciliation of Basic and Diluted Share Amounts	'
	A reconciliation of basic and diluted share amounts are as follows:
		Three Months Ended
		December 28,		December 29,
		2013		2012
	Basic weighted-average common shares outstanding		272,708		266,344
	Weighted-average common stock equivalents from assumed exercise of stock options and restricted stock units		—		3,035
	Diluted weighted-average common shares outstanding		272,708		269,379
	Weighted-average anti-dilutive shares related to:
	Outstanding stock options		7,199		8,207
	Restricted stock units		950		—

StockBased_Compensation_Tables

Stock-Based Compensation (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Disclosure Of Compensation Related Costs Sharebased Payments [Abstract]	'
Stock-Based Compensation Expense in Consolidated Statements of Operations	'
	The following presents stock-based compensation expense in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations:
		Three Months Ended
		December 28,			December 29,
		2013			2012
	Cost of revenues	$	1,510		$	1,834
	Research and development		1,873			1,868
	Selling and marketing		1,749			2,201
	General and administrative		3,833			5,941
	Restructuring and divestiture		4,761			222
		$	13,726		$	12,066
Weighted-Average Assumptions Utilized to Value Stock Options	'
	The Company uses a binomial model to determine the fair value of its stock options. The weighted-average assumptions utilized to value these stock options are indicated in the following table:
		Three Months Ended
		December 28,			December 29,
		2013			2012
	Risk-free interest rate		1.2	%		0.5	%
	Expected volatility		41.4	%		43.7	%
	Expected life (in years)		4.4			4.4
	Dividend yield		—			—
	Weighted-average fair value of options granted	$	7.64		$	7.06

Other_Balance_Sheet_Informatio1

Other Balance Sheet Information (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Text Block [Abstract]	'
Other Balance Sheet Information of Inventories	'
		December 28,			September 28,
		2013			2013
	Inventories
	Raw materials	$	110,828		$	115,575
	Work-in-process		56,653			51,171
	Finished goods		134,228			122,617
		$	301,709		$	289,363
Other Balance Sheet Information of Property, Plant and Equipment	'
	Property, plant and equipment
	Equipment and software	$	327,990		$	318,473
	Equipment under customer usage agreements		279,386			275,696
	Building and improvements		173,489			171,469
	Leasehold improvements		63,643			68,159
	Land		51,659			51,633
	Furniture and fixtures		16,654			22,628
			912,821			908,058
	Less – accumulated depreciation and amortization		(433,086	)		(416,530	)
		$	479,735		$	491,528

Business_Segments_and_Geograph1

Business Segments and Geographic Information (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Segment Reporting [Abstract]	'
Segment Information	'
	Segment information is as follows:
		Three Months Ended
		December 28,			December 29,
		2013			2012
	Total revenues:
	Diagnostics	$	285,766		$	305,916
	Breast Health		226,491			220,808
	GYN Surgical		78,854			80,909
	Skeletal Health		21,337			23,729
		$	612,448		$	631,362
	Operating income:
	Diagnostics	$	4,754		$	14,295
	Breast Health		43,849			44,946
	GYN Surgical		11,123			622
	Skeletal Health		1,559			3,366
		$	61,285		$	63,229
	Depreciation and amortization:
	Diagnostics	$	92,186		$	91,542
	Breast Health		9,361			9,930
	GYN Surgical		26,046			26,479
	Skeletal Health		226			204
		$	127,819		$	128,155
	Capital expenditures:
	Diagnostics	$	10,256		$	13,853
	Breast Health		1,805			3,580
	GYN Surgical		1,786			2,745
	Skeletal Health		142			179
	Corporate		2,396			2,090
		$	16,385		$	22,447
		December 28,			September 28,
		2013			2013
	Identifiable assets:
	Diagnostics	$	4,598,845		$	4,667,942
	Breast Health		920,121			932,206
	GYN Surgical		1,825,174			1,849,518
	Skeletal Health		34,546			33,508
	Corporate		1,105,622			1,517,649
		$	8,484,308		$	9,000,823
Revenues by Geography	'
	Revenues by geography as a percentage of total revenues are as follows:
		Three Months Ended
		December 28,			December 29,
		2013			2012
	United States		75	%		73	%
	Europe		14	%		14	%
	Asia-Pacific		7	%		9	%
	All others		4	%		4	%
			100	%		100	%

Goodwill_and_Intangible_Assets1

Goodwill and Intangible Assets (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Goodwill And Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]	'
Rollforward of Goodwill Activity by Reportable Segment	'
	A rollforward of goodwill activity by reportable segment from September 28, 2013 to December 28, 2013 is as follows:
		Breast Health			Diagnostics			GYN Surgical		Skeletal Health		Total
	Balance at September 28, 2013	$	636,365		$	1,153,554		$	1,016,456	$	8,153	$	2,814,528
	Disposition of a portion of a reporting unit		—			(86	)		—		—		(86	)
	Tax adjustments		—			(151	)		—		—		(151	)
	Foreign currency and other		(1,662	)		1,090			179		9		(384	)
	Balance at December 28, 2013	$	634,703		$	1,154,407		$	1,016,635	$	8,162	$	2,813,907
Schedule of Intangible Assets	'
	Intangible assets consisted of the following:
	Description	As of December 28, 2013						As of September 28, 2013
		Gross			Accumulated			Gross		Accumulated
		Carrying			Amortization			Carrying		Amortization
		Value						Value
	Developed technology	$	4,006,670		$	1,170,604		$	4,008,947	$	1,094,435
	In-process research and development		24,000			—			24,000		—
	Customer relationships and contracts		1,102,221			318,695			1,101,870		296,481
	Trade names		238,071			85,817			238,103		81,844
	Patents		13,153			8,558			13,026		8,495
	Business licenses		2,669			689			2,647		616
	Non-competition agreements		285			285			296		296
	Totals	$	5,387,069		$	1,584,648		$	5,388,889	$	1,482,167
Schedule of Estimated Amortization Expense	'
	The estimated remaining amortization expense as of December 28, 2013 for each of the five succeeding fiscal years is as follows:
	Remainder of Fiscal 2014	$	307,704
	Fiscal 2015	$	395,750
	Fiscal 2016	$	381,987
	Fiscal 2017	$	372,751
	Fiscal 2018	$	362,226

Product_Warranties_Tables

Product Warranties (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Guarantees [Abstract]	'
Product Warranty	'
	Product warranty activity was as follows:
		Balance at		Provisions		Settlements/			Balance at
		Beginning of				Adjustments			End of Period
		Period
	Three Months Ended:
	December 28, 2013	$	9,258	$	2,016	$	(2,357	)	$	8,917
	December 29, 2012	$	6,179	$	3,131	$	(2,739	)	$	6,571

Supplemental_Guarantor_Condens1

Supplemental Guarantor Condensed Consolidating Financials (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]	'
Schedule of Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations	'
	SUPPLEMENTAL CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
	For the Three Months Ended December 28, 2013
		Parent/Issuer			Guarantor			Non-Guarantor			Eliminations			Consolidated
					Subsidiaries			Subsidiaries
	Revenues:
	Product sales	$	105,456		$	381,568		$	126,403		$	(101,045	)	$	512,382
	Service and other revenues		85,946			15,873			11,744			(13,497	)		100,066
			191,402			397,441			138,147			(114,542	)		612,448
	Costs and expenses:
	Cost of product sales		52,873			138,760			86,290			(101,045	)		176,878
	Cost of product sales – amortization of intangible assets		1,397			74,109			1,160			—			76,666
	Cost of service and other revenues		42,320			7,642			16,843			(13,497	)		53,308
	Research and development		7,517			38,851			2,301			—			48,669
	Selling and marketing		17,926			42,775			22,556			—			83,257
	General and administrative		14,656			41,494			11,669			—			67,819
	Amortization of intangible assets		779			24,163			1,274			—			26,216
	Restructuring and divestiture charges		4,990			9,756			3,604			—			18,350
			142,458			377,550			145,697			(114,542	)		551,163
	Income from operations		48,944			19,891			(7,550	)		—			61,285
	Interest income		99			305			194			(242	)		356
	Interest expense		(60,654	)		(308	)		(570	)		242			(61,290	)
	Debt extinguishment loss		(2,940	)		—			—			—			(2,940	)
	Other income (expense), net		9,565			(9,344	)		949			—			1,170
	(Loss) income before income taxes		(4,986	)		10,544			(6,977	)		—			(1,419	)
	Provision (benefit) for income taxes		(59	)		1,560			2,431			—			3,932
	Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries		(424	)		10,088			—			(9,664	)		—
	Net (loss) income	$	(5,351	)	$	19,072		$	(9,408	)	$	(9,664	)	$	(5,351	)
	SUPPLEMENTAL CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
	For the Three Months Ended December 29, 2012
		Parent/Issuer			Guarantor			Non-Guarantor			Eliminations			Consolidated
					Subsidiaries			Subsidiaries
	Revenues:
	Product sales	$	98,043		$	379,771		$	131,127		$	(75,687	)	$	533,254
	Service and other revenues		77,960			21,141			11,820			(12,813	)		98,108
			176,003			400,912			142,947			(88,500	)		631,362
	Costs and expenses:
	Cost of product sales		53,520			163,895			80,599			(75,687	)		222,327
	Cost of product sales – amortization of intangible assets		1,306			72,917			1,064			—			75,287
	Cost of service and other revenues		38,378			15,591			10,919			(12,813	)		52,075
	Research and development		7,418			41,753			2,338			—			51,509
	Selling and marketing		20,773			47,365			26,305			—			94,443
	General and administrative		15,320			31,016			8,055			—			54,391
	Amortization of intangible assets		678			26,649			1,199			—			28,526
	Contingent consideration – compensation expense		29,486			—			—			—			29,486
	Contingent consideration – fair value adjustments		10,040			—			—			—			10,040
	Gain on sale of intellectual property		—			(53,884	)		—			—			(53,884	)
	Restructuring and divestiture charges		221			3,286			426			—			3,933
			177,140			348,588			130,905			(88,500	)		568,133
	Income (loss) from operations		(1,137	)		52,324			12,042			—			63,229
	Interest income		131			42			87			—			260
	Interest expense		(71,254	)		(314	)		(513	)		—			(72,081	)
	Other income (expense), net		119			(4,046	)		5,180			(14	)		1,239
	(Loss) income before income taxes		(72,141	)		48,006			16,796			(14	)		(7,353	)
	(Benefit) provision for income taxes		(11,747	)		(3,114	)		4,390			—			(10,471	)
	Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries		63,512			10,934			—			(74,446	)		—
	Net income (loss)	$	3,118		$	62,054		$	12,406		$	(74,460	)	$	3,118
Schedule of Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income	'
	SUPPLEMENTAL CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
	For the Three Months Ended December 28, 2013
		Parent/Issuer			Guarantor			Non-Guarantor			Eliminations			Consolidated
					Subsidiaries			Subsidiaries
	Net (loss) income	$	(5,351	)	$	19,072		$	(9,408	)	$	(9,664	)	$	(5,351	)
	Change in cumulative translation adjustment		—			89			(1,277	)		—			(1,188	)
	Unrealized loss on available-for-sale security		—			(1,180	)		—			—			(1,180	)
	Adjustment to minimum pension liability, net of taxes		—			—			(615	)		—			(615	)
	Comprehensive (loss) income	$	(5,351	)	$	17,981		$	(11,300	)	$	(9,664	)	$	(8,334	)
	For the Three Months Ended December 29, 2012
		Parent/Issuer			Guarantor			Non-Guarantor			Eliminations			Consolidated
					Subsidiaries			Subsidiaries
	Net income (loss)	$	3,118		$	62,054		$	12,406		$	(74,460	)	$	3,118
	Change in cumulative translation adjustment		—			577			1,392			—			1,969
	Unrealized loss on available-for-sale security		—			(557	)		—			—			(557	)
	Comprehensive income (loss)	$	3,118		$	62,074		$	13,798		$	(74,460	)	$	4,530
Schedule of Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet	'
	SUPPLEMENTAL CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
	December 28, 2013
		Parent/Issuer			Guarantor			Non-Guarantor			Eliminations			Consolidated
					Subsidiaries			Subsidiaries
	ASSETS
	Current assets:
	Cash and cash equivalents	$	105,467		$	237,040		$	99,981		$	—		$	442,488
	Restricted cash		—			—			6,149			—			6,149
	Accounts receivable, net		112,650			177,153			104,668			—			394,471
	Inventories		84,863			164,027			52,819			—			301,709
	Deferred income tax assets		14,953			19,665			735			—			35,353
	Prepaid expenses and other current assets		17,398			18,199			11,172			—			46,769
	Prepaid income taxes		—			2,475			—			(2,475	)		—
	Intercompany receivables		—			2,512,661			38,572			(2,551,233	)		—
	Total current assets		335,331			3,131,220			314,096			(2,553,708	)		1,226,939
	Property, plant and equipment, net		29,489			347,764			102,482			—			479,735
	Intangible assets, net		17,730			3,686,929			97,762			—			3,802,421
	Goodwill		282,448			2,391,882			139,577			—			2,813,907
	Long-term intercompany notes receivable		—			144,000			—			(144,000	)		—
	Other assets		110,033			49,424			1,849			—			161,306
	Investment in subsidiaries		8,669,060			199,034			279			(8,868,373	)		—
	Total assets	$	9,444,091		$	9,950,253		$	656,045		$	(11,566,081	)	$	8,484,308
	LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
	Current liabilities:
	Current portion of long-term debt	$	77,033		$	—		$	—		$	—		$	77,033
	Accounts payable		28,610			51,945			10,411			—			90,966
	Accrued expenses		216,379			66,514			43,978			(2,741	)		324,130
	Deferred revenue		99,648			8,404			28,076			—			136,128
	Intercompany payables		2,511,416			—			42,576			(2,553,992	)		—
	Total current liabilities		2,933,086			126,863			125,041			(2,556,733	)		628,257
	Long-term debt, net of current portion		4,224,732			—			—			—			4,224,732
	Deferred income tax liabilities		75,995			1,398,678			10,792			—			1,485,465
	Deferred service obligations – long-term		9,844			3,476			10,936			—			24,256
	Other long-term liabilities		105,903			29,774			35,390			—			171,067
	Long-term intercompany notes payable		144,000			—			—			(144,000	)		—
	Total stockholders’ equity		1,950,531			8,391,462			473,886			(8,865,348	)		1,950,531
	Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$	9,444,091		$	9,950,253		$	656,045		$	(11,566,081	)	$	8,484,308
	SUPPLEMENTAL CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
	September 28, 2013
		Parent/Issuer			Guarantor			Non-Guarantor			Eliminations			Consolidated
					Subsidiaries			Subsidiaries
	ASSETS
	Current assets:
	Cash and cash equivalents	$	321,523		$	387,422		$	113,545		$	—		$	822,490
	Restricted cash		—			—			6,914			—			6,914
	Accounts receivable, net		126,036			174,433			108,804			—			409,273
	Inventories		81,924			146,678			60,761			—			289,363
	Deferred income tax assets		—			19,042			494			(19,536	)		—
	Prepaid income taxes		47,131			2,303			—			(4,689	)		44,745
	Prepaid expenses and other current assets		16,246			21,112			11,003			—			48,361
	Intercompany receivables		—			2,442,502			31,949			(2,474,451	)		—
	Other current assets – assets held-for-sale		—			—			2,997			—			2,997
	Total current assets		592,860			3,193,492			336,467			(2,498,676	)		1,624,143
	Property, plant and equipment, net		29,313			356,736			105,479			—			491,528
	Intangible assets, net		19,925			3,784,987			101,810			—			3,906,722
	Goodwill		283,038			2,390,939			140,551			—			2,814,528
	Other assets		103,548			58,446			1,908			—			163,902
	Investments in subsidiaries		8,667,620			129,016			2,296			(8,798,932	)		—
	Total assets	$	9,696,304		$	9,913,616		$	688,511		$	(11,297,608	)	$	9,000,823
	LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
	Current liabilities:
	Current portion of long-term debt	$	563,812		$	—		$	—		$	—		$	563,812
	Accounts payable		27,865			42,661			10,008			—			80,534
Accrued expenses		152,950			79,629			44,319			(4,967	)		271,931
Deferred revenue		93,306			7,958			31,055			—			132,319
Deferred income tax liabilities		59,346			—			—			(19,536	)		39,810
Intercompany payables		2,418,089			—			64,411			(2,482,500	)		—
Total current liabilities		3,315,368			130,248			149,793			(2,507,003	)		1,088,406
Long-term debt, net of current portion		4,242,098			—			—			—			4,242,098
Deferred income tax liabilities		89,085			1,435,522			10,699			—			1,535,306
Deferred service obligations – long-term		11,251			3,511			12,864			(2,170	)		25,456
Other long-term liabilities		96,990			37,598			33,456			—			168,044
Total stockholders’ equity		1,941,512			8,306,737			481,699			(8,788,435	)		1,941,513
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$	9,696,304		$	9,913,616		$	688,511		$	(11,297,608	)	$	9,000,823
Schedule of Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows	'
	CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
	For the Three Months Ended December 28, 2013
		Parent/Issuer			Guarantor			Non-Guarantor			Eliminations			Consolidated
					Subsidiaries			Subsidiaries
	OPERATING ACTIVITIES
	Net cash provided by operating activities	$	301,568		$	(141,991	)	$	(10,311	)	$	—		$	149,266
	INVESTING ACTIVITIES
	Proceeds from sale of business, net		—			—			2,431			—			2,431
	Purchase of property and equipment		(2,873	)		(3,210	)		(2,334	)		—			(8,417	)
	Increase in equipment under customer usage agreements		(418	)		(4,265	)		(3,285	)		—			(7,968	)
	Net sales (purchases) of insurance contracts		13,841			—			—			—			13,841
	Purchases of mutual funds		(29,732	)		—			—			—			(29,732	)
	Sales of mutual funds		15,891			—			—			—			15,891
	(Increase) decrease in other assets		106			(1,004	)		469			—			(429	)
	Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		(3,185	)		(8,479	)		(2,719	)		—			(14,383	)
	FINANCING ACTIVITIES
	Repayment of long-term debt		(521,250	)		—			—			—			(521,250	)
	Net proceeds from issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock plans		12,906			—			—			—			12,906
	Excess tax benefit related to equity awards		2,959			—			—			—			2,959
	Payment of employee restricted stock minimum tax withholdings		(9,054	)		—			—			—			(9,054	)
	Net cash used in financing activities		(514,439	)		—			—			—			(514,439	)
	Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents		—			88			(534	)		—			(446	)
	Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents		(216,056	)		(150,382	)		(13,564	)		—			(380,002	)
	Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period		321,523			387,422			113,545			—			822,490
	Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$	105,467		$	237,040		$	99,981		$	—		$	442,488
	CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
	For the Three Months Ended December 29, 2012
		Parent/Issuer			Guarantor			Non-Guarantor			Eliminations			Consolidated
					Subsidiaries			Subsidiaries
	OPERATING ACTIVITIES
	Net cash provided by operating activities	$	112,839		$	30,075		$	12,111		$	—		$	155,025
	INVESTING ACTIVITIES
	Payment of additional acquisition consideration		(16,808	)		—			—			—			(16,808	)
	Proceeds from sale of business, net		—						1,488			—			1,488
	Proceeds from sale of intellectual property		—			60,000			—			—			60,000
	Purchase of property and equipment		(2,887	)		(6,037	)		(2,309	)		—			(11,233	)
	Increase in equipment under customer usage agreements		(286	)		(7,172	)		(3,756	)		—			(11,214	)
	Purchase of insurance contracts		(4,000	)		—			—			—			(4,000	)
	Purchase of cost-method investments		(3,400	)		(225	)		—			—			(3,625	)
	(Increase) decrease in other assets		(1,967	)		(478	)		3,589			—			1,144
	Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		(29,348	)		46,088			(988	)		—			15,752
	FINANCING ACTIVITIES
	Repayment of long-term debt		(16,250	)		—			—			—			(16,250	)
	Payment of contingent consideration		(3,408	)		—			—			—			(3,408	)
	Net proceeds from issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock plans		12,777			—			—			—			12,777
	Excess tax benefit related to equity awards		2,185			—			—			—			2,185
	Payment of employee restricted stock minimum tax withholdings		(7,885	)		—			—			—			(7,885	)
	Net cash used in financing activities		(12,581	)		—			—			—			(12,581	)
	Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents		—			(2,387	)		2,232			—			(155	)
	Net increase in cash and cash equivalents		70,910			73,776			13,355			—			158,041
	Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period		210,028			269,416			80,986			—			560,430
	Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$	280,938		$	343,192		$	94,341		$	—		$	718,471

Basis_of_Presentation_Addition

Basis of Presentation - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 29, 2012
Service and Other Revenues [Member]	'
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Line Items]	'
Reclassification value	$1.90
Cost of Service and Other Revenues [Member]	'
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Line Items]	'
Reclassification value	$1.20

Fair_Value_Measurements_Fair_V

Fair Value Measurements - Fair Value Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis (Detail) (USD $)	Dec. 28, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Assets:	'
Assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	$38,150
Liabilities:	'
Liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	47,656
Equity Security [Member]	'
Assets:	'
Assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	16,907
Mutual Funds [Member]	'
Assets:	'
Assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	21,243
Deferred Compensation Liabilities [Member]	'
Liabilities:	'
Liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	44,009
Contingent Consideration [Member]	'
Liabilities:	'
Liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	3,647
Quoted Prices in Active Market for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]	'
Assets:	'
Assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	38,150
Liabilities:	'
Liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	44,009
Quoted Prices in Active Market for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Equity Security [Member]	'
Assets:	'
Assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	16,907
Quoted Prices in Active Market for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Mutual Funds [Member]	'
Assets:	'
Assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	21,243
Quoted Prices in Active Market for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Deferred Compensation Liabilities [Member]	'
Liabilities:	'
Liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	44,009
Quoted Prices in Active Market for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Contingent Consideration [Member]	'
Liabilities:	'
Liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	'
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]	'
Assets:	'
Assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	'
Liabilities:	'
Liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	'
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Equity Security [Member]	'
Assets:	'
Assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	'
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Mutual Funds [Member]	'
Assets:	'
Assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	'
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Deferred Compensation Liabilities [Member]	'
Liabilities:	'
Liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	'
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Contingent Consideration [Member]	'
Liabilities:	'
Liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	'
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]	'
Assets:	'
Assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	'
Liabilities:	'
Liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	3,647
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Equity Security [Member]	'
Assets:	'
Assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	'
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Mutual Funds [Member]	'
Assets:	'
Assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	'
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Deferred Compensation Liabilities [Member]	'
Liabilities:	'
Liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	'
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Contingent Consideration [Member]	'
Liabilities:	'
Liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	$3,647

Fair_Value_Measurements_Change

Fair Value Measurements - Changes in Fair Value of Recurring Fair Value Measurements Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3), Consisting of Contingent Consideration Liabilities (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]	'	'
Balance at beginning of period	$3,780	$86,368
Fair value adjustments	'	10,040
Payments made	-133	-3,408
Balance at end of period	$3,647	$93,000

Fair_Value_Measurements_Additi

Fair Value Measurements - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013	Sep. 28, 2013
Fair Value Measurement [Line Items]	'	'
Asset impairment charge	$3,132,000	'
Cost-method equity investments in non-publicly traded securities	11,700,000	12,600,000
Other-than-temporary impairment charge	700,000	'
Fair value of Senior Notes	1,060,000,000	'
Credit Agreement [Member]	'	'
Fair Value Measurement [Line Items]	'	'
Borrowed principal under credit agreement	$2,120,000,000	'

Fair_Value_Measurements_Schedu

Fair Value Measurements - Schedule of Estimated Fair Value of Buildings and Cost-Method Equity Investment Measured on Nonrecurring Basis (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 28, 2013
Assets And Liabilities Carrying Value And Fair Value [Line Items]	'
Buildings, Total Gains (Losses)	($3,132)
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member]	'
Assets And Liabilities Carrying Value And Fair Value [Line Items]	'
Buildings	1,388
Cost-method equity investment	778
Buildings, Total Gains (Losses)	-3,132
Cost-method equity investment, Total Gains (Losses)	-705
Total Gains (Losses)	-3,837
Quoted Prices in Active Market for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member]	'
Assets And Liabilities Carrying Value And Fair Value [Line Items]	'
Buildings	'
Cost-method equity investment	'
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member]	'
Assets And Liabilities Carrying Value And Fair Value [Line Items]	'
Buildings	'
Cost-method equity investment	'
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member]	'
Assets And Liabilities Carrying Value And Fair Value [Line Items]	'
Buildings	1,388
Cost-method equity investment	$778

Fair_Value_Measurements_Estima

Fair Value Measurements - Estimated Fair Values of Convertible Notes (Detail) (USD $)	Dec. 28, 2013	Sep. 28, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Estimated Fair Value Of Financial Instruments [Line Items]	'	'
Estimated fair values of debt instruments	$1,428,800	$1,820,300
2007 Notes [Member]	'	'
Estimated Fair Value Of Financial Instruments [Line Items]	'	'
Estimated fair values of debt instruments	'	405,000
2010 Notes [Member]	'	'
Estimated Fair Value Of Financial Instruments [Line Items]	'	'
Estimated fair values of debt instruments	527,900	510,800
2012 Notes [Member]	'	'
Estimated Fair Value Of Financial Instruments [Line Items]	'	'
Estimated fair values of debt instruments	509,400	518,800
2013 Notes [Member]	'	'
Estimated Fair Value Of Financial Instruments [Line Items]	'	'
Estimated fair values of debt instruments	$391,500	$385,700

Restructuring_and_Divestiture_2

Restructuring and Divestiture Charges - Charges Taken Related to Restructuring Actions (Detail) (USD $)

3 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

3 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

3 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

3 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

3 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

3 Months Ended

In Thousands, unless otherwise specified

Dec. 28, 2013

Dec. 29, 2012

Sep. 29, 2012

Sep. 28, 2013

Dec. 28, 2013

Sep. 29, 2012

Sep. 28, 2013

Dec. 28, 2013

Sep. 29, 2012

Sep. 28, 2013

Dec. 28, 2013

Dec. 28, 2013

Sep. 28, 2013

Dec. 28, 2013

Sep. 29, 2012

Sep. 28, 2013

Dec. 28, 2013

Fiscal 2012 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2013 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2014 Charges [Member]

Consolidation of Diagnostics Operations [Member]

Consolidation of Diagnostics Operations [Member]

Consolidation of Diagnostics Operations [Member]

Closure of Indianapolis Facility [Member]

Closure of Indianapolis Facility [Member]

Closure of Indianapolis Facility [Member]

Fiscal 2014 Actions [Member]

Fiscal 2013 Actions [Member]

Fiscal 2013 Actions [Member]

Other Operating Cost Reductions [Member]

Other Operating Cost Reductions [Member]

Other Operating Cost Reductions [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Fiscal 2012 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2013 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2014 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2012 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2013 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2014 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2014 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2013 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2014 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2012 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2013 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2014 Charges [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Workforce reductions

'

'

$15,249

$31,214

$14,638

$14,202

$13,950

$796

$879

$4,805

$238

$12,933

$11,332

$671

$168

$1,127

'

Non-cash impairment charge

3,132

'

585

54

3,132

585

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

54

3,132

Purchase orders and other contractual obligations

'

'

351

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

351

'

'

Facility closure costs

'

'

430

550

445

'

'

'

'

173

445

'

'

'

430

377

'

Other

'

'

900

929

49

'

'

'

900

651

'

'

42

'

'

236

49

Fiscal 2013 restructuring charges

'

'

17,515

32,693

18,264

14,787

13,950

796

1,779

5,629

683

12,933

11,374

671

949

1,740

3,181

Divestiture net charges

'

'

'

112

86

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Fiscal 2013 restructuring and divestiture charges

$18,350

$3,933

'

$32,805

$18,350

'

$13,950

$796

'

$5,629

$683

$12,933

$11,374

$671

'

$1,740

$3,181

Restructuring_and_Divestiture_3

Restructuring and Divestiture Charges - Charges Taken Related to Accrued Restructuring Actions (Detail) (USD $)

3 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

3 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

3 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

3 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

3 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

3 Months Ended

In Thousands, unless otherwise specified

Dec. 28, 2013

Sep. 29, 2012

Sep. 28, 2013

Dec. 28, 2013

Sep. 29, 2012

Sep. 28, 2013

Dec. 28, 2013

Sep. 29, 2012

Sep. 28, 2013

Dec. 28, 2013

Dec. 28, 2013

Sep. 28, 2013

Dec. 28, 2013

Sep. 29, 2012

Sep. 28, 2013

Dec. 28, 2013

Fiscal 2012 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2013 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2014 Charges [Member]

Consolidation of Diagnostics Operations [Member]

Consolidation of Diagnostics Operations [Member]

Consolidation of Diagnostics Operations [Member]

Closure of Indianapolis Facility [Member]

Closure of Indianapolis Facility [Member]

Closure of Indianapolis Facility [Member]

Fiscal 2014 Actions [Member]

Fiscal 2013 Actions [Member]

Fiscal 2013 Actions [Member]

Other Operating Cost Reductions [Member]

Other Operating Cost Reductions [Member]

Other Operating Cost Reductions [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Fiscal 2012 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2013 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2014 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2012 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2013 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2014 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2014 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2013 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2014 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2012 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2013 Charges [Member]

Fiscal 2014 Charges [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Fiscal 2013 restructuring charges

'

$17,515

$32,693

$18,264

$14,787

$13,950

$796

$1,779

$5,629

$683

$12,933

$11,374

$671

$949

$1,740

$3,181

Non-cash impairment charges

-3,132

-585

-54

-3,132

-585

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

-54

-3,132

Stock compensation

'

-3,500

-7,917

-4,761

-3,500

-6,322

'

'

'

'

-4,731

-1,595

-30

'

'

'

Severance payments

'

-2,629

-21,438

-9,359

-2,423

-13,068

-251

'

-3,048

-3,153

-3,748

-4,425

-1,939

-206

-897

-268

Other payments

'

-781

-1,151

-324

'

'

'

'

-566

-275

'

-25

'

-781

-560

-49

Acquired

'

83

'

'

83

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Foreign exchange and other adjustments

'

113

-10

5

22

-2

'

'

'

'

'

-14

'

91

6

5

Balance

'

$10,216

$12,339

$13,032

$8,384

$2,942

$3,487

$1,779

$3,794

$1,049

$4,455

$5,315

$4,016

$53

$288

$25

Restructuring_and_Divestiture_4

Restructuring and Divestiture Charges - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)

3 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

3 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

3 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

3 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

3 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

3 Months Ended

0 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

Dec. 28, 2013

Sep. 28, 2013

Jun. 29, 2013

Mar. 30, 2013

Sep. 28, 2013

Sep. 28, 2013

Sep. 29, 2012

Dec. 28, 2013

Dec. 29, 2012

Sep. 29, 2012

Dec. 28, 2013

Dec. 29, 2012

Sep. 29, 2012

Sep. 28, 2013

Sep. 29, 2012

Sep. 28, 2013

Dec. 28, 2013

Sep. 29, 2012

Dec. 28, 2013

Dec. 29, 2012

Sep. 29, 2012

Dec. 28, 2013

Sep. 28, 2013

Dec. 28, 2013

Dec. 28, 2013

Jul. 18, 2013

Sep. 28, 2013

Indiana [Member ]

Indiana [Member ]

Consolidation of Diagnostics Operations [Member]

Consolidation of Diagnostics Operations [Member]

Consolidation of Diagnostics Operations [Member]

Consolidation of Diagnostics Operations [Member]

Consolidation of Diagnostics Operations [Member]

Consolidation of Diagnostics Operations [Member]

Consolidation of Diagnostics Operations [Member]

Consolidation of Diagnostics Operations [Member]

Consolidation of Diagnostics Operations [Member]

Other Operating Cost Reductions [Member]

Other Operating Cost Reductions [Member]

Closure of Indianapolis Facility [Member]

Closure of Indianapolis Facility [Member]

Closure of Indianapolis Facility [Member]

Closure of Indianapolis Facility [Member]

Closure of Indianapolis Facility [Member]

Employee Severance [Member]

Fiscal 2014 Actions [Member]

Fiscal 2014 Actions [Member]

One-time Termination Benefits [Member]

Molecular Diagnostics Operations [Member]

Molecular Diagnostics Operations [Member]

Molecular Diagnostics Operations [Member]

Molecular Diagnostics Operations [Member]

Molecular Diagnostics Operations [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Employees

Restructuring [Member]

Restructuring [Member]

Jack Cumming [Member]

Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Severance Charges

$700,000

'

'

'

$4,600,000

'

'

'

$800,000

$13,300,000

$800,000

$1,000,000

'

$3,200,000

$900,000

$10,800,000

'

'

$200,000

$1,500,000

$900,000

$400,000

$4,800,000

$6,800,000

'

$6,600,000

$1,100,000

Compensation charges

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

3,500,000

'

'

'

'

'

6,300,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

1,400,000

'

4,400,000

'

Employee retention program, payments in cash

'

'

'

9,700,000

'

'

'

0

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Estimated aggregate severance charges

'

'

5,400,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

6,900,000

'

'

'

'

'

6,800,000

'

5,900,000

'

'

'

'

'

6,300,000

'

'

Exiting charges

'

'

'

'

'

800,000

900,000

'

'

'

'

'

600,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Stock compensation related acceleration

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

400,000

'

'

Number of employees affected for severance benefits

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

96

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Impairment charges of equipment fair value

3,132,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

3,100,000

300,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Lease obligation charge and write-off of related leaseholds

'

'

'

'

400,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Impairment charges for assets held for sale

'

700,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Assets held for sale, sales value

2,800,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Assets held-for-sale inventory and equipment

'

2,400,000

'

'

2,400,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Assets held-for-sale Goodwill

'

600,000

'

'

600,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Other restructuring charges

100,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Gain on the sale of LIFECODES business

'

'

'

900,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Disposition charges

'

'

'

'

$300,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Borrowings_and_Credit_Arrangem2

Borrowings and Credit Arrangements - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)

3 Months Ended

3 Months Ended

0 Months Ended

3 Months Ended

0 Months Ended

3 Months Ended

3 Months Ended

Dec. 28, 2013

Dec. 29, 2012

Sep. 28, 2013

Dec. 28, 2013

Dec. 29, 2012

Dec. 18, 2013

Dec. 28, 2013

Dec. 29, 2012

Sep. 28, 2013

Sep. 28, 2013

Dec. 28, 2013

Dec. 28, 2013

Nov. 14, 2013

Dec. 18, 2013

Dec. 28, 2013

Dec. 28, 2013

Dec. 28, 2013

Credit Agreement [Member]

Credit Agreement [Member]

Convertible Notes [Member]

Senior Notes [Member]

Senior Notes [Member]

Term Loan B [Member]

Term Loan B [Member]

Term Loan B [Member]

Term Loan A [Member]

2007 Notes [Member]

2007 Notes [Member]

2010 Notes [Member]

2012 Notes [Member]

2013 Notes [Member]

Subsequent Event [Member]

Credit Agreement [Member]

Credit Agreement [Member]

Credit Agreement [Member]

Convertible Notes [Member]

Convertible Notes [Member]

Convertible Notes [Member]

Convertible Notes [Member]

Debt Instrument [Line Items]

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Carrying value of debt

$4,301,765,000

'

$4,805,910,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Prepayment of debt

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

100,000,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Debt extinguishment loss

-2,940,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

2,900,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Weighted average interest rates, Borrowings outstanding under the credit agreement

'

'

'

3.00%

4.00%

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Interest rates under Term Loans

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

3.75%

2.20%

'

'

'

'

'

Interest expense

'

'

'

20,400,000

30,000,000

'

16,000,000

16,000,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Non-cash interest expense amortization of debt discount and deferred financing costs

19,668,000

20,679,000

'

3,300,000

3,700,000

'

400,000

400,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Debt instrument maturity date

'

'

'

'

'

'

1-Aug-20

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

15-Dec-37

1-Mar-42

15-Dec-43

Redemption Price of Notes

'

'

'

'

'

100.00%

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Maturity period

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'2037

'

'

'

Notes principal amount

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

405,000,000

'

'

'

'

Estimated tax due upon repurchase and redemption

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

$76,000,000

'

'

'

'

Interest rate

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

2.00%

2.00%

2.00%

Borrowings_and_Credit_Arrangem3

Borrowings and Credit Arrangements - Company's Borrowings (Detail) (USD $)	Dec. 28, 2013	Sep. 28, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Debt Instrument [Line Items]	'	'
Convertible Notes	'	$400,133
Current debt obligations, net of debt discount	77,033	563,812
Convertible Notes	1,198,444	1,187,992
Total long-term debt obligations	4,224,732	4,242,098
Total debt obligations	4,301,765	4,805,910
Term Loan A [Member]	'	'
Debt Instrument [Line Items]	'	'
Current debt obligations, net of debt discount	62,165	49,713
Long-term debt obligations, net of debt discount	870,315	894,834
Term Loan B [Member]	'	'
Debt Instrument [Line Items]	'	'
Current debt obligations, net of debt discount	14,868	113,966
Long-term debt obligations, net of debt discount	1,155,973	1,159,272
Senior Notes [Member]	'	'
Debt Instrument [Line Items]	'	'
Long-term debt obligations, net of debt discount	$1,000,000	$1,000,000

Borrowings_and_Credit_Arrangem4

Borrowings and Credit Arrangements - Convertible Notes and Related Equity Components (Detail) (USD $)	Dec. 28, 2013	Sep. 28, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
2007 Notes [Member]	'	'
Schedule Of Borrowings [Line Items]	'	'
Notes principal amount	'	$405,000
Unamortized discount	'	-4,867
Net carrying amount	'	400,133
Equity component, net of taxes	'	121,496
2010 Notes [Member]	'	'
Schedule Of Borrowings [Line Items]	'	'
Notes principal amount	450,000	450,000
Unamortized discount	-54,193	-58,310
Net carrying amount	395,807	391,690
Equity component, net of taxes	60,054	60,054
2012 Notes [Member]	'	'
Schedule Of Borrowings [Line Items]	'	'
Notes principal amount	500,000	500,000
Unamortized discount	-32,851	-34,630
Net carrying amount	467,149	465,370
Equity component, net of taxes	49,195	49,195
2013 Notes [Member]	'	'
Schedule Of Borrowings [Line Items]	'	'
Notes principal amount	370,000	370,000
Principal accretion	12,999	9,225
Unamortized discount	-47,511	-48,293
Net carrying amount	335,488	330,932
Equity component, net of taxes	$131,451	$131,451

Borrowings_and_Credit_Arrangem5

Borrowings and Credit Arrangements - Interest Expense under Convertible Notes (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012
Debt Conversion [Line Items]	'	'
Non-cash interest expense	$19,668	$20,679
Convertible Notes Payable [Member]	'	'
Debt Conversion [Line Items]	'	'
Amortization of debt discount	11,546	15,644
Amortization of deferred financing costs	650	908
Principal accretion	3,774	'
Non-cash interest expense	15,970	16,552
2.00% accrued interest	8,119	8,610
Interest expense, net	$24,089	$25,162

Borrowings_and_Credit_Arrangem6

Borrowings and Credit Arrangements - Interest Expense under Convertible Notes (Parenthetical) (Detail) (Convertible Notes Payable [Member])	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012
Convertible Notes Payable [Member]	'	'
Debt Conversion [Line Items]	'	'
Percentage of accrued interest on Convertible Notes	2.00%	2.00%

Commitments_and_Contingencies_1

Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)

0 Months Ended

3 Months Ended

3 Months Ended

1 Months Ended

3 Months Ended

1 Months Ended

Oct. 29, 2013

Dec. 28, 2013

Dec. 29, 2012

Sep. 04, 2012

Dec. 29, 2012

Dec. 29, 2012

Dec. 28, 2013

Mar. 30, 2013

Dec. 28, 2013

Jun. 30, 2011

Dec. 28, 2013

Sep. 28, 2013

Sep. 29, 2012

Jun. 30, 2011

Jul. 31, 2013

Dec. 28, 2013

Jul. 31, 2011

Adiana, Inc [Member]

Sentinelle Medical Inc. [Member]

Interlace Medical, Inc. [Member]

Interlace Medical, Inc. [Member]

Interlace Medical, Inc. [Member]

TCT International Co., Ltd. [Member]

TCT International Co., Ltd. [Member]

TCT International Co., Ltd. [Member]

TCT International Co., Ltd. [Member]

TCT International Co., Ltd. [Member]

Healthcome [Member]

Healthcome [Member]

Healthcome [Member]

Maximum [Member]

Maximum [Member]

Contingent Consideration Earn-Out Payments [Line Items]

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Payment of contingent consideration

'

'

$3,408,000

'

$16,800,000

$3,400,000

'

$86,900,000

'

'

$31,100,000

$87,400,000

$54,000,000

'

$1,700,000

'

'

Potential contingent payments

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

225,000,000

'

'

'

'

200,000,000

'

'

'

Contingent payments period

'

'

'

'

'

'

'2 years

'

'

'2 years

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Contingent consideration - fair value adjustments

'

'

10,040,000

'

'

'

'

93,800,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Accrued contingent payments

'

'

'

'

'

'

3,600,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

3,400,000

5,000,000

Deferred payment

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

35,000,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Contingent Consideration Compensation Expense

'

0

29,486,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Assessed damages

'

'

'

4,000,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Additional Payment

$14,700,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Commitments_and_Contingencies_2

Commitments and Contingencies - Summary of Contingent Consideration Charges Recorded to the Consolidated Statement of Operations (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012
Other Contingencies And Commitments [Line Items]	'	'
Contingent consideration-compensation expense	$0	$29,486
Contingent consideration-fair value adjustments	'	10,040
Contingent consideration total	'	39,526
Interlace Medical, Inc [Member]	'	'
Other Contingencies And Commitments [Line Items]	'	'
Contingent consideration-fair value adjustments	'	10,040
Contingent consideration total	'	10,040
TCT International Co., Ltd. [Member]	'	'
Other Contingencies And Commitments [Line Items]	'	'
Contingent consideration-compensation expense	'	29,486
Contingent consideration total	'	$29,486

Sale_of_Makena_Additional_Info

Sale of Makena - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	0 Months Ended		3 Months Ended
	Feb. 03, 2011	Jan. 16, 2008	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012	Mar. 24, 2012	Mar. 26, 2011
Sale Of Intellectual Property [Line Items]	'	'	'	'	'	'
Transaction price of sale of intellectual property assets	'	$82,000,000	'	'	'	'
Amended transaction price as a result of executing amendment	'	'	199,500,000	'	'	'
Amount received upon FDA approval	12,500,000	'	'	'	'	'
Gain on net of certain contingent legal fees and amounts due to inventor	'	'	'	53,884,000	'	84,500,000
Scheduled amounts received	'	'	'	'	12,500,000	'
Additional amounts to be received under the amended agreement	'	'	95,000,000	'	'	'
Royalty on sales due	5.00%	'	'	'	'	'
Final payment received	'	'	60,000,000	'	'	'
Parent Company/Issuer [Member]	'	'	'	'	'	'
Sale Of Intellectual Property [Line Items]	'	'	'	'	'	'
Gain on net of certain contingent legal fees and amounts due to inventor	'	'	'	'	'	'
Previously Received [Member] | Parent Company/Issuer [Member]	'	'	'	'	'	'
Sale Of Intellectual Property [Line Items]	'	'	'	'	'	'
Transaction price amounts received	$79,500,000	'	'	'	'	'
Minimum [Member]	'	'	'	'	'	'
Sale Of Intellectual Property [Line Items]	'	'	'	'	'	'
Period sales price is due from FDA approval, months	'	'	'18 months	'	'	'
Maximum [Member]	'	'	'	'	'	'
Sale Of Intellectual Property [Line Items]	'	'	'	'	'	'
Period sales price is due from FDA approval, months	'	'	'30 months	'	'	'

Marketable_Securities_Reconcil

Marketable Securities - Reconciles Cost Basis to Fair Market Value of Company's One Equity Security (Detail) (Equity Security [Member], USD $)	Dec. 28, 2013	Sep. 28, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Equity Security [Member]	'	'
Schedule Of Marketable Securities [Line Items]	'	'
Equity security, Cost	$5,931	$5,931
Equity security, Gross Unrealized Gains	10,976	12,156
Equity security, Gross Unrealized Losses	'	'
Equity security, Fair Value	$16,907	$18,087

Net_Loss_Income_Per_Share_Reco

Net (Loss) Income Per Share - Reconciliation of Basic and Diluted Share Amounts (Detail)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012
Earnings Per Share [Line Items]	'	'
Basic weighted average common shares outstanding	272,708	266,344
Weighted average common stock equivalents from assumed exercise of stock options and restricted stock units	'	3,035
Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding	272,708	269,379
Outstanding Stock Options [Member]	'	'
Weighted-average anti-dilutive shares related to:	'	'
Weighted-average anti-dilutive shares	7,199	8,207
Restricted Stock Units [Member]	'	'
Weighted-average anti-dilutive shares related to:	'	'
Weighted-average anti-dilutive shares	950	'

StockBased_Compensation_StockB

Stock-Based Compensation - Stock-Based Compensation Expense in Consolidated Statement of Operations (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'	'
Share-based compensation expense	$13,726	$12,066
Cost of Revenues [Member]	'	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'	'
Share-based compensation expense	1,510	1,834
Research and Development [Member]	'	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'	'
Share-based compensation expense	1,873	1,868
Selling and Marketing [Member]	'	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'	'
Share-based compensation expense	1,749	2,201
General and Administrative [Member]	'	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'	'
Share-based compensation expense	3,833	5,941
Restructuring [Member]	'	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'	'
Share-based compensation expense	$4,761	$222

StockBased_Compensation_Additi

Stock-Based Compensation - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012
	Portions
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'	'
Options granted	2	2.1
Weighted average exercise prices	$21.82	$19.86
Share-based compensation, stock option outstanding	14.7	'
Weighted average exercise price of options outstanding	$19.79	'
Minimum eligible percentage to receive target number of shares of company's common stock	0.00%	'
Maximum eligible percentage to receive target number of shares of company's common stock	200.00%	'
Market stock units granted during the period	0.1	0.1
Valuation of MSUs using Monte Carlo simulation model	$18.65	$18.49
Number of separate tranches	3	'
Percentage in separate tranches	33.33%	'
Trading period considered for determination of average price of stock for stock based award	'30 days	'
Percentage of forfeiture rates, minimum	0.00%	'
Percentage of forfeiture rates, maximum	6.00%	'
Stock Options [Member]	'	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'	'
Stock-based compensation, period of vest term granted to employees, years	'5 years	'
Percentage of vesting for stock granted to employees	20.00%	'
Restricted Stock Units [Member]	'	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'	'
Restricted stock units	2	1.8
Restricted stock units (RSU), weighted average grant date fair values	$21.51	$19.86
Unvested RSUs outstanding	4	'
Unvested RSUs weighted average grant date fair value	$20.18	'
Percentage of vesting for stock granted to employees	25.00%	'
RSU, period of vest term granted to employees, years	'4 years	'
Unrecognized compensation expense	$85.60	'
Weighted average period for recognition of unrecognized stock-based compensation, years	'3 years 2 months 12 days	'
Performance Shares [Member]	'	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'	'
Restricted stock units	0.4	'
Restricted stock units (RSU), weighted average grant date fair values	$21.77	'
Minimum eligible percentage to receive target number of shares of company's common stock	0.00%	'
Maximum eligible percentage to receive target number of shares of company's common stock	200.00%	'
Stock Option Plans [Member]	'	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'	'
Unrecognized compensation expense	$36.60	'
Weighted average period for recognition of unrecognized stock-based compensation, years	'3 years 8 months 12 days	'

StockBased_Compensation_Weight

Stock-Based Compensation - Weighted-Average Assumptions Utilized to Value Stock Options (Detail) (Employee Stock Purchase Plan [Member], USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012
Employee Stock Purchase Plan [Member]	'	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'	'
Risk-free interest rate	1.20%	0.50%
Expected volatility	41.40%	43.70%
Expected life (in years)	'4 years 4 months 24 days	'4 years 4 months 24 days
Dividend yield	'	'
Weighted average fair value of options granted	$7.64	$7.06

Other_Balance_Sheet_Informatio2

Other Balance Sheet Information - Other Balance Sheet Information of Inventories (Detail) (USD $)	Dec. 28, 2013	Sep. 28, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Statement Of Financial Position [Abstract]	'	'
Raw materials	$110,828	$115,575
Work-in-process	56,653	51,171
Finished goods	134,228	122,617
Inventory net	$301,709	$289,363

Other_Balance_Sheet_Informatio3

Other Balance Sheet Information - Other Balance Sheet Information of Property, Plant and Equipment (Detail) (USD $)	Dec. 28, 2013	Sep. 28, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Other Balance Sheet Information [Abstract]	'	'
Equipment and software	$327,990	$318,473
Equipment under customer usage agreements	279,386	275,696
Building and improvements	173,489	171,469
Leasehold improvements	63,643	68,159
Land	51,659	51,633
Furniture and fixtures	16,654	22,628
Property, plant and equipment, gross	912,821	908,058
Less - accumulated depreciation and amortization	-433,086	-416,530
Property, plant and equipment, net	$479,735	$491,528

Business_Segments_and_Geograph2

Business Segments and Geographic Information - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012	Sep. 28, 2013
	Customer	Customer	Customer
	Segment
Segment Reporting Disclosure [Line Items]	'	'	'
Number of reportable segments	4	'	'
Revenues	$612,448	$631,362	'
Customers with balances greater than 10% of accounts receivable	0	'	0
Customer represented greater than 10% of consolidated revenues	0	0	'
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]	'	'	'
Segment Reporting Disclosure [Line Items]	'	'	'
Revenues	0	0	'
Operating Segments [Member] | Foreign Countries [Member]	'	'	'
Segment Reporting Disclosure [Line Items]	'	'	'
Revenues	$154,900	$170,100	'

Business_Segments_and_Geograph3

Business Segments and Geographic Information - Segment Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012	Sep. 28, 2013
Operating Statistics [Line Items]	'	'	'
Total revenues	$612,448	$631,362	'
Operating income	61,285	63,229	'
Depreciation and amortization	127,819	128,155	'
Capital expenditures	16,385	22,447	'
Identifiable assets	8,484,308	'	9,000,823
Diagnostics [Member]	'	'	'
Operating Statistics [Line Items]	'	'	'
Total revenues	285,766	305,916	'
Operating income	4,754	14,295	'
Depreciation and amortization	92,186	91,542	'
Capital expenditures	10,256	13,853	'
Identifiable assets	4,598,845	'	4,667,942
Breast Health [Member]	'	'	'
Operating Statistics [Line Items]	'	'	'
Total revenues	226,491	220,808	'
Operating income	43,849	44,946	'
Depreciation and amortization	9,361	9,930	'
Capital expenditures	1,805	3,580	'
Identifiable assets	920,121	'	932,206
GYN Surgical [Member]	'	'	'
Operating Statistics [Line Items]	'	'	'
Total revenues	78,854	80,909	'
Operating income	11,123	622	'
Depreciation and amortization	26,046	26,479	'
Capital expenditures	1,786	2,745	'
Identifiable assets	1,825,174	'	1,849,518
Skeletal Health [Member]	'	'	'
Operating Statistics [Line Items]	'	'	'
Total revenues	21,337	23,729	'
Operating income	1,559	3,366	'
Depreciation and amortization	226	204	'
Capital expenditures	142	179	'
Identifiable assets	34,546	'	33,508
Corporate [Member]	'	'	'
Operating Statistics [Line Items]	'	'	'
Capital expenditures	2,396	2,090	'
Identifiable assets	$1,105,622	'	$1,517,649

Business_Segments_and_Geograph4

Business Segments and Geographic Information - Revenues by Geography (Detail)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012
Schedule Of Geographical Segments [Line Items]	'	'
Revenues	100.00%	100.00%
United States [Member]	'	'
Schedule Of Geographical Segments [Line Items]	'	'
Revenues	75.00%	73.00%
Europe [Member]	'	'
Schedule Of Geographical Segments [Line Items]	'	'
Revenues	14.00%	14.00%
Asia-Pacific [Member]	'	'
Schedule Of Geographical Segments [Line Items]	'	'
Revenues	7.00%	9.00%
All Others [Member]	'	'
Schedule Of Geographical Segments [Line Items]	'	'
Revenues	4.00%	4.00%

Income_Taxes_Additional_Inform

Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012	Mar. 26, 2011	Sep. 28, 2013
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]	'	'	'	'
Company's effective tax rate	-277.10%	142.40%	'	'
Valuation allowance	'	$19,400,000	'	'
Gain recorded on Makena sale	'	53,884,000	84,500,000	'
Net deferred tax liabilities	1,450,000,000	'	'	1,580,000,000
Gross unrecognized tax benefits, including interest	126,600,000	'	'	'
Increase in gross unrecognized tax benefits	4,800,000	'	'	'
Unrecognized tax benefit that would impact effective tax rate	60,200,000	'	'	'
Temporary differences not affecting Company's effective tax rate	66,400,000	'	'	'
Accrued interest	4,500,000	'	'	'
Income tax penalty accrued	$4,500,000	'	'	'

Goodwill_and_Intangible_Assets2

Goodwill and Intangible Assets - Rollforward of Goodwill Activity by Reportable Segment (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 28, 2013
Goodwill [Line Items]	'
Beginning balance	$2,814,528
Disposition of a portion of a reporting unit	-86
Tax adjustments	-151
Foreign currency and other	-384
Ending balance	2,813,907
Breast Health [Member]	'
Goodwill [Line Items]	'
Beginning balance	636,365
Disposition of a portion of a reporting unit	'
Tax adjustments	'
Foreign currency and other	-1,662
Ending balance	634,703
Diagnostics [Member]	'
Goodwill [Line Items]	'
Beginning balance	1,153,554
Disposition of a portion of a reporting unit	-86
Tax adjustments	-151
Foreign currency and other	1,090
Ending balance	1,154,407
GYN Surgical [Member]	'
Goodwill [Line Items]	'
Beginning balance	1,016,456
Disposition of a portion of a reporting unit	'
Tax adjustments	'
Foreign currency and other	179
Ending balance	1,016,635
Skeletal Health [Member]	'
Goodwill [Line Items]	'
Beginning balance	8,153
Disposition of a portion of a reporting unit	'
Tax adjustments	'
Foreign currency and other	9
Ending balance	$8,162

Goodwill_and_Intangible_Assets3

Goodwill and Intangible Assets - Schedule of Intangible Assets (Detail) (USD $)	Dec. 28, 2013	Sep. 28, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'	'
Gross Carrying Value	$5,387,069	$5,388,889
Accumulated Amortization	1,584,648	1,482,167
Developed Technology [Member]	'	'
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'	'
Gross Carrying Value	4,006,670	4,008,947
Accumulated Amortization	1,170,604	1,094,435
In-process Research and Development [Member]	'	'
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'	'
Gross Carrying Value	24,000	24,000
Accumulated Amortization	'	'
Customer Relationships and Contracts [Member]	'	'
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'	'
Gross Carrying Value	1,102,221	1,101,870
Accumulated Amortization	318,695	296,481
Trade Names [Member]	'	'
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'	'
Gross Carrying Value	238,071	238,103
Accumulated Amortization	85,817	81,844
Patents [Member]	'	'
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'	'
Gross Carrying Value	13,153	13,026
Accumulated Amortization	8,558	8,495
Business Licenses [Member]	'	'
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'	'
Gross Carrying Value	2,669	2,647
Accumulated Amortization	689	616
Non-Competition Agreements [Member]	'	'
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'	'
Gross Carrying Value	285	296
Accumulated Amortization	$285	$296

Goodwill_and_Intangible_Assets4

Goodwill and Intangible Assets - Schedule of Estimated Amortization Expense (Detail) (USD $)	Dec. 28, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Goodwill And Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]	'
Remainder of Fiscal 2014	$307,704
Fiscal 2015	395,750
Fiscal 2016	381,987
Fiscal 2017	372,751
Fiscal 2018	$362,226

Product_Warranties_Product_War

Product Warranties - Product Warranty (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012
Guarantees [Abstract]	'	'
Balance at Beginning of Period	$9,258	$6,179
Provisions	2,016	3,131
Settlements/ Adjustments	-2,357	-2,739
Balance at End of Period	$8,917	$6,571

Equity_Additional_Information_

Equity - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Nov. 11, 2013	Dec. 28, 2013	Nov. 20, 2013	Sep. 28, 2013
Equity [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Preferred stock, par value	'	$0.01	'	$0.01
Common stock, par value	'	$0.01	$0.01	$0.01
Purchase price of each right	'	'	$107	'
Dividend record date	'	2-Dec-13	'	'
Number of business day for rights distribution exercisable	'	'10 days	'	'
Number of business day for rights distribution exercisable on the action of Board of director	'	'10 days	'	'
Ownership percentage	'	10.00%	'	'
Ownership percentage	'	15.00%	'	'
Authorized value of common shares to be repurchased	$250	'	'	'
Period available for common stock to be repurchased	'	'3 years	'	'
Series A Preferred Stock [Member]	'	'	'	'
Equity [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Share portion entitled to purchase by right	'	'	'One ten-thousandth	'
Preferred stock, par value	'	'	$0.01	'

Pension_and_Other_Employee_Ben1

Pension and Other Employee Benefits - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	Dec. 28, 2013	Sep. 28, 2013
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
German Defined Benefit Plan [Member]	'	'
Pension And Other Employee Benefit Plans [Line Items]	'	'
Net pension liability	$10.20	$10.10
Pension assets	0	0
Swiss Defined Benefit Plan [Member]	'	'
Pension And Other Employee Benefit Plans [Line Items]	'	'
Net pension liability	$0.80	'

Supplemental_Guarantor_Condens2

Supplemental Guarantor Condensed Consolidating Financials - Additional Information (Detail) (Parent Company/Issuer [Member])	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013
Parent Company/Issuer [Member]	'
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]	'
Ownership percentage in domestic subsidiaries	100.00%

Supplemental_Guarantor_Condens3

Supplemental Guarantor Condensed Consolidating Financials - Schedule of Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012	Mar. 26, 2011
Revenues:	'	'	'
Product sales	$512,382	$533,254	'
Service and other revenues	100,066	98,108	'
Total revenues	612,448	631,362	'
Costs and expenses:	'	'	'
Cost of product sales	176,878	222,327	'
Cost of product sales - amortization of intangible assets	76,666	75,287	'
Cost of service and other revenues	53,308	52,075	'
Research and development	48,669	51,509	'
Selling and marketing	83,257	94,443	'
General and administrative	67,819	54,391	'
Amortization of intangible assets	26,216	28,526	'
Contingent consideration - compensation expense	0	29,486	'
Contingent consideration - fair value adjustments	'	10,040	'
Gain on sale of intellectual property	'	-53,884	-84,500
Restructuring and divestiture charges	18,350	3,933	'
Costs and expenses, total	551,163	568,133	'
Income (loss) from operations	61,285	63,229	'
Interest income	356	260	'
Interest expense	-61,290	-72,081	'
Debt extinguishment loss	-2,940	'	'
Other income (expense), net	1,170	1,239	'
(Loss) income before income taxes	-1,419	-7,353	'
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	3,932	-10,471	'
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	'	'	'
Net (loss) income	-5,351	3,118	'
Parent Company/Issuer [Member]	'	'	'
Revenues:	'	'	'
Product sales	105,456	98,043	'
Service and other revenues	85,946	77,960	'
Total revenues	191,402	176,003	'
Costs and expenses:	'	'	'
Cost of product sales	52,873	53,520	'
Cost of product sales - amortization of intangible assets	1,397	1,306	'
Cost of service and other revenues	42,320	38,378	'
Research and development	7,517	7,418	'
Selling and marketing	17,926	20,773	'
General and administrative	14,656	15,320	'
Amortization of intangible assets	779	678	'
Contingent consideration - compensation expense	'	29,486	'
Contingent consideration - fair value adjustments	'	10,040	'
Gain on sale of intellectual property	'	'	'
Restructuring and divestiture charges	4,990	221	'
Costs and expenses, total	142,458	177,140	'
Income (loss) from operations	48,944	-1,137	'
Interest income	99	131	'
Interest expense	-60,654	-71,254	'
Debt extinguishment loss	-2,940	'	'
Other income (expense), net	9,565	119	'
(Loss) income before income taxes	-4,986	-72,141	'
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	-59	-11,747	'
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	-424	63,512	'
Net (loss) income	-5,351	3,118	'
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]	'	'	'
Revenues:	'	'	'
Product sales	381,568	379,771	'
Service and other revenues	15,873	21,141	'
Total revenues	397,441	400,912	'
Costs and expenses:	'	'	'
Cost of product sales	138,760	163,895	'
Cost of product sales - amortization of intangible assets	74,109	72,917	'
Cost of service and other revenues	7,642	15,591	'
Research and development	38,851	41,753	'
Selling and marketing	42,775	47,365	'
General and administrative	41,494	31,016	'
Amortization of intangible assets	24,163	26,649	'
Contingent consideration - compensation expense	'	'	'
Contingent consideration - fair value adjustments	'	'	'
Gain on sale of intellectual property	'	-53,884	'
Restructuring and divestiture charges	9,756	3,286	'
Costs and expenses, total	377,550	348,588	'
Income (loss) from operations	19,891	52,324	'
Interest income	305	42	'
Interest expense	-308	-314	'
Debt extinguishment loss	'	'	'
Other income (expense), net	-9,344	-4,046	'
(Loss) income before income taxes	10,544	48,006	'
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	1,560	-3,114	'
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	10,088	10,934	'
Net (loss) income	19,072	62,054	'
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]	'	'	'
Revenues:	'	'	'
Product sales	126,403	131,127	'
Service and other revenues	11,744	11,820	'
Total revenues	138,147	142,947	'
Costs and expenses:	'	'	'
Cost of product sales	86,290	80,599	'
Cost of product sales - amortization of intangible assets	1,160	1,064	'
Cost of service and other revenues	16,843	10,919	'
Research and development	2,301	2,338	'
Selling and marketing	22,556	26,305	'
General and administrative	11,669	8,055	'
Amortization of intangible assets	1,274	1,199	'
Contingent consideration - compensation expense	'	'	'
Contingent consideration - fair value adjustments	'	'	'
Gain on sale of intellectual property	'	'	'
Restructuring and divestiture charges	3,604	426	'
Costs and expenses, total	145,697	130,905	'
Income (loss) from operations	-7,550	12,042	'
Interest income	194	87	'
Interest expense	-570	-513	'
Debt extinguishment loss	'	'	'
Other income (expense), net	949	5,180	'
(Loss) income before income taxes	-6,977	16,796	'
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	2,431	4,390	'
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	'	'	'
Net (loss) income	-9,408	12,406	'
Eliminations [Member]	'	'	'
Revenues:	'	'	'
Product sales	-101,045	-75,687	'
Service and other revenues	-13,497	-12,813	'
Total revenues	-114,542	-88,500	'
Costs and expenses:	'	'	'
Cost of product sales	-101,045	-75,687	'
Cost of product sales - amortization of intangible assets	'	'	'
Cost of service and other revenues	-13,497	-12,813	'
Research and development	'	'	'
Selling and marketing	'	'	'
General and administrative	'	'	'
Amortization of intangible assets	'	'	'
Contingent consideration - compensation expense	'	'	'
Contingent consideration - fair value adjustments	'	'	'
Gain on sale of intellectual property	'	'	'
Restructuring and divestiture charges	'	'	'
Costs and expenses, total	-114,542	-88,500	'
Income (loss) from operations	'	'	'
Interest income	-242	'	'
Interest expense	242	'	'
Debt extinguishment loss	'	'	'
Other income (expense), net	'	-14	'
(Loss) income before income taxes	'	-14	'
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	'	'	'
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	-9,664	-74,446	'
Net (loss) income	($9,664)	($74,460)	'

Supplemental_Guarantor_Condens4

Supplemental Guarantor Condensed Consolidating Financials - Schedule of Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012
Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Statement of Comprehensive Income [Line Items]	'	'
Net (loss) income	($5,351)	$3,118
Change in cumulative translation adjustment	-1,188	1,969
Unrealized loss on available-for-sale security	-1,180	-557
Adjustment to minimum pension liability, net of taxes	-615	'
Comprehensive (loss) income	-8,334	4,530
Parent Company/Issuer [Member]	'	'
Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Statement of Comprehensive Income [Line Items]	'	'
Net (loss) income	-5,351	3,118
Change in cumulative translation adjustment	'	'
Unrealized loss on available-for-sale security	'	'
Adjustment to minimum pension liability, net of taxes	'	'
Comprehensive (loss) income	-5,351	3,118
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]	'	'
Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Statement of Comprehensive Income [Line Items]	'	'
Net (loss) income	19,072	62,054
Change in cumulative translation adjustment	89	577
Unrealized loss on available-for-sale security	-1,180	-557
Adjustment to minimum pension liability, net of taxes	'	'
Comprehensive (loss) income	17,981	62,074
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]	'	'
Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Statement of Comprehensive Income [Line Items]	'	'
Net (loss) income	-9,408	12,406
Change in cumulative translation adjustment	-1,277	1,392
Unrealized loss on available-for-sale security	'	'
Adjustment to minimum pension liability, net of taxes	-615	'
Comprehensive (loss) income	-11,300	13,798
Eliminations [Member]	'	'
Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Statement of Comprehensive Income [Line Items]	'	'
Net (loss) income	-9,664	-74,460
Change in cumulative translation adjustment	'	'
Unrealized loss on available-for-sale security	'	'
Adjustment to minimum pension liability, net of taxes	'	'
Comprehensive (loss) income	($9,664)	($74,460)

Supplemental_Guarantor_Condens5

Supplemental Guarantor Condensed Consolidating Financials - Schedule of Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Detail) (USD $)	Dec. 28, 2013	Sep. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012	Sep. 29, 2012
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Current assets:	'	'	'	'
Cash and cash equivalents	$442,488	$822,490	$718,471	$560,430
Restricted cash	6,149	6,914	'	'
Accounts receivable, net	394,471	409,273	'	'
Inventories	301,709	289,363	'	'
Deferred income tax assets	35,353	'	'	'
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	46,769	48,361	'	'
Prepaid income taxes	'	44,745	'	'
Intercompany receivables	'	'	'	'
Other current assets - assets held-for-sale	'	2,997	'	'
Total current assets	1,226,939	1,624,143	'	'
Property, plant and equipment, net	479,735	491,528	'	'
Intangible assets, net	3,802,421	3,906,722	'	'
Goodwill	2,813,907	2,814,528	'	'
Long-term intercompany notes receivable	'	'	'	'
Other assets	161,306	163,902	'	'
Investment in subsidiaries	'	'	'	'
Total assets	8,484,308	9,000,823	'	'
Current liabilities:	'	'	'	'
Current portion of long-term debt	77,033	563,812	'	'
Accounts payable	90,966	80,534	'	'
Accrued expenses	324,130	271,931	'	'
Deferred revenue	136,128	132,319	'	'
Deferred income tax liabilities	'	39,810	'	'
Intercompany payables	'	'	'	'
Total current liabilities	628,257	1,088,406	'	'
Long-term debt, net of current portion	4,224,732	4,242,098	'	'
Deferred income tax liabilities	1,485,465	1,535,306	'	'
Deferred service obligations - long-term	24,256	25,456	'	'
Other long-term liabilities	171,067	168,044	'	'
Long-term intercompany notes payable	'	'	'	'
Total stockholders' equity	1,950,531	1,941,513	'	'
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	8,484,308	9,000,823	'	'
Parent Company/Issuer [Member]	'	'	'	'
Current assets:	'	'	'	'
Cash and cash equivalents	105,467	321,523	280,938	210,028
Restricted cash	'	'	'	'
Accounts receivable, net	112,650	126,036	'	'
Inventories	84,863	81,924	'	'
Deferred income tax assets	14,953	'	'	'
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	17,398	16,246	'	'
Prepaid income taxes	'	47,131	'	'
Intercompany receivables	'	'	'	'
Other current assets - assets held-for-sale	'	'	'	'
Total current assets	335,331	592,860	'	'
Property, plant and equipment, net	29,489	29,313	'	'
Intangible assets, net	17,730	19,925	'	'
Goodwill	282,448	283,038	'	'
Long-term intercompany notes receivable	'	'	'	'
Other assets	110,033	103,548	'	'
Investment in subsidiaries	8,669,060	8,667,620	'	'
Total assets	9,444,091	9,696,304	'	'
Current liabilities:	'	'	'	'
Current portion of long-term debt	77,033	563,812	'	'
Accounts payable	28,610	27,865	'	'
Accrued expenses	216,379	152,950	'	'
Deferred revenue	99,648	93,306	'	'
Deferred income tax liabilities	'	59,346	'	'
Intercompany payables	2,511,416	2,418,089	'	'
Total current liabilities	2,933,086	3,315,368	'	'
Long-term debt, net of current portion	4,224,732	4,242,098	'	'
Deferred income tax liabilities	75,995	89,085	'	'
Deferred service obligations - long-term	9,844	11,251	'	'
Other long-term liabilities	105,903	96,990	'	'
Long-term intercompany notes payable	144,000	'	'	'
Total stockholders' equity	1,950,531	1,941,512	'	'
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	9,444,091	9,696,304	'	'
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]	'	'	'	'
Current assets:	'	'	'	'
Cash and cash equivalents	237,040	387,422	343,192	269,416
Restricted cash	'	'	'	'
Accounts receivable, net	177,153	174,433	'	'
Inventories	164,027	146,678	'	'
Deferred income tax assets	19,665	19,042	'	'
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	18,199	21,112	'	'
Prepaid income taxes	2,475	2,303	'	'
Intercompany receivables	2,512,661	2,442,502	'	'
Other current assets - assets held-for-sale	'	'	'	'
Total current assets	3,131,220	3,193,492	'	'
Property, plant and equipment, net	347,764	356,736	'	'
Intangible assets, net	3,686,929	3,784,987	'	'
Goodwill	2,391,882	2,390,939	'	'
Long-term intercompany notes receivable	144,000	'	'	'
Other assets	49,424	58,446	'	'
Investment in subsidiaries	199,034	129,016	'	'
Total assets	9,950,253	9,913,616	'	'
Current liabilities:	'	'	'	'
Current portion of long-term debt	'	'	'	'
Accounts payable	51,945	42,661	'	'
Accrued expenses	66,514	79,629	'	'
Deferred revenue	8,404	7,958	'	'
Deferred income tax liabilities	'	'	'	'
Intercompany payables	'	'	'	'
Total current liabilities	126,863	130,248	'	'
Long-term debt, net of current portion	'	'	'	'
Deferred income tax liabilities	1,398,678	1,435,522	'	'
Deferred service obligations - long-term	3,476	3,511	'	'
Other long-term liabilities	29,774	37,598	'	'
Long-term intercompany notes payable	'	'	'	'
Total stockholders' equity	8,391,462	8,306,737	'	'
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	9,950,253	9,913,616	'	'
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]	'	'	'	'
Current assets:	'	'	'	'
Cash and cash equivalents	99,981	113,545	94,341	80,986
Restricted cash	6,149	6,914	'	'
Accounts receivable, net	104,668	108,804	'	'
Inventories	52,819	60,761	'	'
Deferred income tax assets	735	494	'	'
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	11,172	11,003	'	'
Prepaid income taxes	'	'	'	'
Intercompany receivables	38,572	31,949	'	'
Other current assets - assets held-for-sale	'	2,997	'	'
Total current assets	314,096	336,467	'	'
Property, plant and equipment, net	102,482	105,479	'	'
Intangible assets, net	97,762	101,810	'	'
Goodwill	139,577	140,551	'	'
Long-term intercompany notes receivable	'	'	'	'
Other assets	1,849	1,908	'	'
Investment in subsidiaries	279	2,296	'	'
Total assets	656,045	688,511	'	'
Current liabilities:	'	'	'	'
Current portion of long-term debt	'	'	'	'
Accounts payable	10,411	10,008	'	'
Accrued expenses	43,978	44,319	'	'
Deferred revenue	28,076	31,055	'	'
Deferred income tax liabilities	'	'	'	'
Intercompany payables	42,576	64,411	'	'
Total current liabilities	125,041	149,793	'	'
Long-term debt, net of current portion	'	'	'	'
Deferred income tax liabilities	10,792	10,699	'	'
Deferred service obligations - long-term	10,936	12,864	'	'
Other long-term liabilities	35,390	33,456	'	'
Long-term intercompany notes payable	'	'	'	'
Total stockholders' equity	473,886	481,699	'	'
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	656,045	688,511	'	'
Eliminations [Member]	'	'	'	'
Current assets:	'	'	'	'
Cash and cash equivalents	'	'	'	'
Restricted cash	'	'	'	'
Accounts receivable, net	'	'	'	'
Inventories	'	'	'	'
Deferred income tax assets	'	-19,536	'	'
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	'	'	'	'
Prepaid income taxes	-2,475	-4,689	'	'
Intercompany receivables	-2,551,233	-2,474,451	'	'
Other current assets - assets held-for-sale	'	'	'	'
Total current assets	-2,553,708	-2,498,676	'	'
Property, plant and equipment, net	'	'	'	'
Intangible assets, net	'	'	'	'
Goodwill	'	'	'	'
Long-term intercompany notes receivable	-144,000	'	'	'
Other assets	'	'	'	'
Investment in subsidiaries	-8,868,373	-8,798,932	'	'
Total assets	-11,566,081	-11,297,608	'	'
Current liabilities:	'	'	'	'
Current portion of long-term debt	'	'	'	'
Accounts payable	'	'	'	'
Accrued expenses	-2,741	-4,967	'	'
Deferred revenue	'	'	'	'
Deferred income tax liabilities	'	-19,536	'	'
Intercompany payables	-2,553,992	-2,482,500	'	'
Total current liabilities	-2,556,733	-2,507,003	'	'
Long-term debt, net of current portion	'	'	'	'
Deferred income tax liabilities	'	'	'	'
Deferred service obligations - long-term	'	-2,170	'	'
Other long-term liabilities	'	'	'	'
Long-term intercompany notes payable	-144,000	'	'	'
Total stockholders' equity	-8,865,348	-8,788,435	'	'
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	($11,566,081)	($11,297,608)	'	'

Supplemental_Guarantor_Condens6

Supplemental Guarantor Condensed Consolidating Financials - Schedule of Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012
OPERATING ACTIVITIES	'	'
Net cash provided by operating activities	$149,266	$155,025
INVESTING ACTIVITIES	'	'
Payment of additional acquisition consideration	'	-16,808
Proceeds from sale of business, net	2,431	1,488
Proceeds from sale of intellectual property	'	60,000
Purchase of property and equipment	-8,417	-11,233
Increase in equipment under customer usage agreements	-7,968	-11,214
Purchase of insurance contracts	'	-4,000
Net sales (purchases) of insurance contracts	13,841	-4,000
Purchase of cost-method investments	'	-3,625
Purchases of mutual funds	-29,732	'
Sales of mutual funds	15,891	'
(Increase) decrease in other assets	-429	1,144
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	-14,383	15,752
FINANCING ACTIVITIES	'	'
Repayment of long-term debt	-521,250	-16,250
Payment of contingent consideration	'	-3,408
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock plans	12,906	12,777
Excess tax benefit related to equity awards	2,959	2,185
Payment of employee restricted stock minimum tax withholdings	-9,054	-7,885
Net cash used in financing activities	-514,439	-12,581
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	-446	-155
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	-380,002	158,041
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	822,490	560,430
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	442,488	718,471
Parent Company/Issuer [Member]	'	'
OPERATING ACTIVITIES	'	'
Net cash provided by operating activities	301,568	112,839
INVESTING ACTIVITIES	'	'
Payment of additional acquisition consideration	'	-16,808
Proceeds from sale of business, net	'	'
Proceeds from sale of intellectual property	'	'
Purchase of property and equipment	-2,873	-2,887
Increase in equipment under customer usage agreements	-418	-286
Purchase of insurance contracts	'	-4,000
Net sales (purchases) of insurance contracts	13,841	'
Purchase of cost-method investments	'	-3,400
Purchases of mutual funds	-29,732	'
Sales of mutual funds	15,891	'
(Increase) decrease in other assets	106	-1,967
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	-3,185	-29,348
FINANCING ACTIVITIES	'	'
Repayment of long-term debt	-521,250	-16,250
Payment of contingent consideration	'	-3,408
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock plans	12,906	12,777
Excess tax benefit related to equity awards	2,959	2,185
Payment of employee restricted stock minimum tax withholdings	-9,054	-7,885
Net cash used in financing activities	-514,439	-12,581
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	'	'
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	-216,056	70,910
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	321,523	210,028
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	105,467	280,938
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]	'	'
OPERATING ACTIVITIES	'	'
Net cash provided by operating activities	-141,991	30,075
INVESTING ACTIVITIES	'	'
Payment of additional acquisition consideration	'	'
Proceeds from sale of business, net	'	'
Proceeds from sale of intellectual property	'	60,000
Purchase of property and equipment	-3,210	-6,037
Increase in equipment under customer usage agreements	-4,265	-7,172
Purchase of insurance contracts	'	'
Net sales (purchases) of insurance contracts	'	'
Purchase of cost-method investments	'	-225
Purchases of mutual funds	'	'
Sales of mutual funds	'	'
(Increase) decrease in other assets	-1,004	-478
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	-8,479	46,088
FINANCING ACTIVITIES	'	'
Repayment of long-term debt	'	'
Payment of contingent consideration	'	'
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock plans	'	'
Excess tax benefit related to equity awards	'	'
Payment of employee restricted stock minimum tax withholdings	'	'
Net cash used in financing activities	'	'
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	88	-2,387
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	-150,382	73,776
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	387,422	269,416
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	237,040	343,192
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]	'	'
OPERATING ACTIVITIES	'	'
Net cash provided by operating activities	-10,311	12,111
INVESTING ACTIVITIES	'	'
Payment of additional acquisition consideration	'	'
Proceeds from sale of business, net	2,431	1,488
Proceeds from sale of intellectual property	'	'
Purchase of property and equipment	-2,334	-2,309
Increase in equipment under customer usage agreements	-3,285	-3,756
Purchase of insurance contracts	'	'
Net sales (purchases) of insurance contracts	'	'
Purchase of cost-method investments	'	'
Purchases of mutual funds	'	'
Sales of mutual funds	'	'
(Increase) decrease in other assets	469	3,589
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	-2,719	-988
FINANCING ACTIVITIES	'	'
Repayment of long-term debt	'	'
Payment of contingent consideration	'	'
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock plans	'	'
Excess tax benefit related to equity awards	'	'
Payment of employee restricted stock minimum tax withholdings	'	'
Net cash used in financing activities	'	'
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	-534	2,232
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	-13,564	13,355
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	113,545	80,986
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	99,981	94,341
Eliminations [Member]	'	'
OPERATING ACTIVITIES	'	'
Net cash provided by operating activities	'	'
INVESTING ACTIVITIES	'	'
Payment of additional acquisition consideration	'	'
Proceeds from sale of business, net	'	'
Proceeds from sale of intellectual property	'	'
Purchase of property and equipment	'	'
Increase in equipment under customer usage agreements	'	'
Purchase of insurance contracts	'	'
Net sales (purchases) of insurance contracts	'	'
Purchase of cost-method investments	'	'
Purchases of mutual funds	'	'
Sales of mutual funds	'	'
(Increase) decrease in other assets	'	'
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	'	'
FINANCING ACTIVITIES	'	'
Repayment of long-term debt	'	'
Payment of contingent consideration	'	'
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock plans	'	'
Excess tax benefit related to equity awards	'	'
Payment of employee restricted stock minimum tax withholdings	'	'
Net cash used in financing activities	'	'
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	'	'
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	'	'
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	'	'
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	'	'