Operating Results Information for Each Business Segment (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jun. 29, 2012	Jul. 01, 2011	Jun. 29, 2012	Jul. 01, 2011
Segment Reporting Information
Revenues	$ 705,246,000	$ 649,438,000	$ 2,050,858,000	$ 1,877,745,000
Operating Earnings (Loss)	153,587,000	140,491,000	426,305,000	428,715,000
Oncology Systems
Segment Reporting Information
Revenues	546,000,000	513,000,000	1,599,000,000	1,473,000,000
Operating Earnings (Loss)	127,000,000	120,000,000	364,000,000	368,000,000
X-Ray Products
Segment Reporting Information
Revenues	127,000,000	121,000,000	363,000,000	350,000,000
Operating Earnings (Loss)	35,000,000	30,000,000	94,000,000	88,000,000
Total Reportable Segments
Segment Reporting Information
Revenues	673,000,000	634,000,000	1,962,000,000	1,823,000,000
Operating Earnings (Loss)	162,000,000	150,000,000	458,000,000	456,000,000
Other
Segment Reporting Information
Revenues	32,000,000	16,000,000	89,000,000	55,000,000
Operating Earnings (Loss)	(8,000,000)	(8,000,000)	(27,000,000)	(21,000,000)
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information
Operating Earnings (Loss)	$ 0	$ (1,000,000)	$ (5,000,000)	$ (6,000,000)