<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<FilingSummary xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
  <Version>2.3.0.11</Version>
  <ProcessingTime />
  <ReportFormat>Html</ReportFormat>
  <ReportType />
  <ContextCount>21</ContextCount>
  <ElementCount>125</ElementCount>
  <EntityCount>1</EntityCount>
  <FootnotesReported>false</FootnotesReported>
  <SegmentCount>4</SegmentCount>
  <ScenarioCount>0</ScenarioCount>
  <TuplesReported>false</TuplesReported>
  <UnitCount>3</UnitCount>
  <MyReports>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>true</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R1.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>0001000 - Document - DOCUMENT AND ENTITY INFORMATION</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.transgenomic.com/role/DocumentAndEntityInformation</Role>
      <ShortName>DOCUMENT AND ENTITY INFORMATION</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R2.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>1001000 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.transgenomic.com/role/CondensedConsolidatedBalanceSheets</Role>
      <ShortName>CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R3.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>1001500 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS PARENTHETICAL</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.transgenomic.com/role/CondensedConsolidatedBalanceSheetsParenthetical</Role>
      <ShortName>CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS PARENTHETICAL</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R4.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>1002000 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.transgenomic.com/role/CondensedConsolidatedStatementsOfOperations</Role>
      <ShortName>CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R5.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>1003000 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.transgenomic.com/role/CondensedConsolidatedStatementsOfStockholdersEquity</Role>
      <ShortName>CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R6.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>1004000 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.transgenomic.com/role/CondensedConsolidatedStatementsOfCashFlows</Role>
      <ShortName>CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R7.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2101100 - Disclosure - BUSINESS DESCRIPTION</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.transgenomic.com/role/BusinessDescription</Role>
      <ShortName>BUSINESS DESCRIPTION</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R8.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2104100 - Disclosure - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.transgenomic.com/role/SummaryOfSignificantAccountingPolicies</Role>
      <ShortName>SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R9.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2110100 - Disclosure - INVENTORIES</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.transgenomic.com/role/Inventories</Role>
      <ShortName>INVENTORIES</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R10.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2113100 - Disclosure - INTANGIBLES AND OTHER ASSETS</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.transgenomic.com/role/IntangiblesAndOtherAssets</Role>
      <ShortName>INTANGIBLES AND OTHER ASSETS</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R11.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2116100 - Disclosure - DEBT</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.transgenomic.com/role/Debt</Role>
      <ShortName>DEBT</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R12.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2119100 - Disclosure - CAPITAL LEASES</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.transgenomic.com/role/CapitalLeases</Role>
      <ShortName>CAPITAL LEASES</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R13.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2122100 - Disclosure - COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.transgenomic.com/role/CommitmentsAndContingencies</Role>
      <ShortName>COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R14.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2125100 - Disclosure - INCOME TAXES</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.transgenomic.com/role/IncomeTaxes</Role>
      <ShortName>INCOME TAXES</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R15.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2128100 - Disclosure - EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.transgenomic.com/role/EmployeeBenefitPlan</Role>
      <ShortName>EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R16.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2131100 - Disclosure - STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.transgenomic.com/role/StockholdersEquity</Role>
      <ShortName>STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R17.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2134100 - Disclosure - FAIR VALUE</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.transgenomic.com/role/FairValue</Role>
      <ShortName>FAIR VALUE</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R18.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2137100 - Disclosure - STOCK OPTIONS</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.transgenomic.com/role/StockOptions</Role>
      <ShortName>STOCK OPTIONS</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R19.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2140100 - Disclosure - OPERATING SEGMENT AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.transgenomic.com/role/OperatingSegmentAndGeographicInformation</Role>
      <ShortName>OPERATING SEGMENT AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R20.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2143100 - Disclosure - SUBSEQUENT EVENTS</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.transgenomic.com/role/SubsequentEvents</Role>
      <ShortName>SUBSEQUENT EVENTS</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <LongName>All Reports</LongName>
      <ReportType>Book</ReportType>
      <ShortName>All Reports</ShortName>
    </Report>
  </MyReports>
  <Logs>
    <Log type="Info">Process Flow-Through: 1001000 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS</Log>
    <Log type="Info">	Process Flow-Through: Removing column 'Jun. 30, 2010'</Log>
    <Log type="Info">	Process Flow-Through: Removing column 'Dec. 31, 2009'</Log>
    <Log type="Info">Process Flow-Through: 1001500 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS PARENTHETICAL</Log>
    <Log type="Info">Process Flow-Through: 1002000 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS</Log>
    <Log type="Info">Process Flow-Through: 1004000 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS</Log>
  </Logs>
  <InputFiles>
    <File>tbio-20110630.xml</File>
    <File>tbio-20110630.xsd</File>
    <File>tbio-20110630_cal.xml</File>
    <File>tbio-20110630_def.xml</File>
    <File>tbio-20110630_lab.xml</File>
    <File>tbio-20110630_pre.xml</File>
  </InputFiles>
  <SupplementalFiles />
  <BaseTaxonomies />
  <HasPresentationLinkbase>true</HasPresentationLinkbase>
  <HasCalculationLinkbase>true</HasCalculationLinkbase>
</FilingSummary>
