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Fair Value Measurements - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
3 Months Ended
Dec. 28, 2013
Dec. 27, 2014
Sep. 27, 2014
Fair Value, Off-balance Sheet Risks, Disclosure Information [Line Items]      
Asset impairment charge $ 3,100,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse    
Cost-method equity investments in non-publicly traded securities   5,200,000us-gaap_CostMethodInvestments 5,200,000us-gaap_CostMethodInvestments
Equity Security Other Than Temporary Impairment Charge 700,000holx_EquitySecurityOtherThanTemporaryImpairmentCharge    
Credit Agreement      
Fair Value, Off-balance Sheet Risks, Disclosure Information [Line Items]      
Borrowed principal under credit agreement   1,720,000,000holx_PrincipalAmountOfBorrowings
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= holx_CreditAgreementMember
 
Senior Notes      
Fair Value, Off-balance Sheet Risks, Disclosure Information [Line Items]      
Fair value of debt instrument   $ 1,040,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFairValue
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember