v2.4.0.6

Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2013	Mar. 24, 2012	Mar. 30, 2013	Mar. 24, 2012	Sep. 04, 2012	Dec. 29, 2012 Adiana, Inc [Member]	Mar. 24, 2012 Sentinelle Medical Inc. [Member]	Mar. 24, 2012 Sentinelle Medical Inc. [Member]	Sep. 29, 2012 Sentinelle Medical Inc. [Member]	Mar. 30, 2013 TCT International Co., Ltd. [Member]	Sep. 29, 2012 TCT International Co., Ltd. [Member]	Mar. 30, 2013 TCT International Co., Ltd. [Member] Maximum [Member]	Mar. 30, 2013 Healthcome [Member]	Mar. 30, 2013 Interlace Medical, Inc. [Member]	Jan. 06, 2011 Interlace Medical, Inc. [Member] Maximum [Member]
Contingent Consideration Earn-Out Payments [Line Items]
Payment of contingent consideration			$ 42,433,000	$ 51,680,000		$ 16,800,000					$ 54,000,000			$ 86,900,000
Contingent consideration obligations, fair value									3,400,000
Maximum potential contingent payments to former shareholders												200,000,000			225,000,000
Contingent payments period										2 years			2 years	2 years
Contingent consideration - fair value adjustments	(799,000)	(43,188,000)	(10,839,000)	(48,310,000)			(258,000)	210,000						93,800
Deferred payment											35,000,000
Accrued contingent payments										97,900,000			5,000,000
Assessed damages					$ 4,000,000

X

- Definition

Accrued Contingent Earn Out Amount

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	holx_AccruedContingentEarnOutAmount
Namespace Prefix:	holx_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Amount Assessed In Damages

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	holx_AmountAssessedInDamages
Namespace Prefix:	holx_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Fair value, as of the respective balance sheet date, of potential payments under the contingent consideration arrangement including cash and shares. The contingent consideration liability is remeasured at each reporting period through the statements of operations

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	holx_BusinessAcquisitionContingentConsiderationAtFairValueAtBalanceSheetDate
Namespace Prefix:	holx_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Business Acquisition Contingent Consideration Payment Period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	holx_BusinessAcquisitionContingentConsiderationPaymentPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	holx_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	holx_ContingentConsiderationEarnoutPaymentsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	holx_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Deferred Payment Related To Acquisition

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	holx_DeferredPaymentRelatedToAcquisition
Namespace Prefix:	holx_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Represents the cash payment of contingent consideration to the former shareholders of the acquired company.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	holx_PaymentOfContingentConsideration
Namespace Prefix:	holx_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount of potential cash payments that could result from the contingent consideration arrangement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 141

-Paragraph 51

-Subparagraph f

-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_BusinessAcquisitionContingentConsiderationPotentialCashPayment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

This element represents the amount of any change, including any differences arising upon settlement, recognized during the reporting period in the value of a liability, arising from an item of contingent consideration, assumed in a business combination.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7488404&loc=d3e7008-128479



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 141R

-Paragraph 72

-Subparagraph b

-Clause 1

-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_BusinessCombinationContingentConsiderationArrangementsChangeInAmountOfContingentConsiderationLiability
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration