v2.3.0.11

Business Segments and Geographic Information (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jun. 25, 2011	Jun. 26, 2010	Jun. 25, 2011	Jun. 26, 2010	Sep. 25, 2010
Business Segments and Geographic Information
Number of reporting segments	4		4	4	4
Intersegment revenues		$ 0
Percentage threshold for accounts receivable			10.00%		10.00%
Percentage threshold for product revenue	10.00%	10.00%	10.00%	10.00%
Number of customers accounted for greater than 10% accounts receivable			0		0
Number of customers accounted for greater than 10% product revenue	0	0	0	0
International product sales, total	$ 91.4	$ 75.2	$ 261.2	$ 228.4

X

- Definition

Product revenues from external customers attributed to all foreign countries in total from which the entity derives product revenues.

+ Details

Name:	holx_EntityWideDisclosureOnGeographicAreasProductFromExternalCustomersAttributedToForeignCountries
Namespace Prefix:	holx
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The number of customers that individually represent more than ten percent of consolidated accounts receivable as of the balance sheet date.

+ Details

Name:	holx_NumberOfCustomersAccountedForGreaterThanTenPercentageOfAccountsReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	holx
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The number of customers that individually represents more than ten percent of consolidated product revenue during the reporting period.

+ Details

Name:	holx_NumberOfCustomersAccountedForGreaterThanTenPercentageOfProductRevenue
Namespace Prefix:	holx
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The number of reportable operating segments identified as components of an enterprise about which separate, discrete financial information is available for evaluation by the chief operating decision maker in making decisions how to allocate resources and assess performance.

+ Details

Name:	holx_NumberOfReportingSegments
Namespace Prefix:	holx
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Disclosure is required for concentrations of risk, and for any customer that has an accounts receivable balance above the 10 percent threshold of consolidated accounts receivable, the Company will disclose the number of customers and the extent to which the threshold is above 10% in aggregate.

+ Details

Name:	holx_PercentageThresholdForAccountsReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	holx
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Disclosure is required for concentrations of risk, and for any customer that the Company has generated revenue in excess of the 10 percent threshold of consolidated revenues, the Company will disclose the number of customers and the extent to which the threshold is above 10% in aggregate.

+ Details

Name:	holx_PercentageThresholdForProductRevenue
Namespace Prefix:	holx
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount of revenue from transactions with other operating segments of the same entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 131
-Paragraph 27
-Subparagraph b
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RevenuesFromTransactionsWithOtherOperatingSegmentsOfSameEntity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SegmentReportingAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration