Accrued Liabilities - Accrued Liabilities (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Other Liabilities Disclosure [Abstract]
Employee compensation	$ 6,838	$ 4,701
Clinical study costs	461nstg_AccruedClinicalExpenseCurrent	539nstg_AccruedClinicalExpenseCurrent
Royalties payable	632us-gaap_AccruedRoyaltiesCurrent	448us-gaap_AccruedRoyaltiesCurrent
Warranty reserves	503	357
Accounting and legal	297us-gaap_AccruedProfessionalFeesCurrent	272us-gaap_AccruedProfessionalFeesCurrent
Other accrued liabilities	1,672us-gaap_OtherAccruedLiabilitiesCurrent	771us-gaap_OtherAccruedLiabilitiesCurrent
Total accrued liabilities	$ 10,403us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesCurrent	$ 7,088us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesCurrent

Accrued Clinical Expense Current

No definition available.

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- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred and payable, pertaining to costs that are statutory in nature, are incurred on contractual obligations, or accumulate over time and for which invoices have not yet been received or will not be rendered. Examples include taxes, interest, rent and utilities. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and payable for professional fees, such as for legal and accounting services received. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 20

-Article 5

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Current Liabilities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6509677

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28358313&loc=d3e6935-107765

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.20)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 6

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28358313&loc=d3e6911-107765

+ Details

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- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and payable for royalties. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Total of the carrying values as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and payable for obligations related to services received from employees, such as accrued salaries and bonuses, payroll taxes and fringe benefits. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and payable arising from transactions not otherwise specified in the taxonomy. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

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- Definition

Amount as of the balance sheet date of the aggregate standard product warranty liability that is expected to be paid within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer. Does not include the balance for the extended product warranty liability.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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