Operating Results Information for each Business Segment (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Sep. 27, 2013	Jun. 28, 2013	Mar. 29, 2013	Dec. 28, 2012	Sep. 28, 2012	Jun. 29, 2012	Mar. 30, 2012	Dec. 30, 2011	Sep. 27, 2013	Sep. 28, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 769,900,000	$ 726,200,000	$ 768,400,000	$ 678,400,000	$ 756,100,000	$ 705,300,000	$ 720,300,000	$ 625,300,000	$ 2,942,897,000	$ 2,807,015,000	$ 2,596,666,000
Operating Earnings									608,890,000	594,074,000	588,451,000
Depreciation & Amortization									63,000,000	61,000,000	53,000,000
Capital Additions									78,000,000	67,000,000	71,000,000
Total Assets	3,468,474,000				2,878,726,000				3,468,474,000	2,878,726,000	2,499,000,000
Goodwill	225,335,000				222,242,000				225,335,000	222,242,000	212,500,000
Oncology Systems
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									2,253,000,000	2,189,000,000	2,022,000,000
Operating Earnings									512,000,000	505,000,000	507,000,000
Depreciation & Amortization									21,000,000	23,000,000	19,000,000
Capital Additions									25,000,000	17,000,000	17,000,000
Total Assets	1,217,000,000				1,220,000,000				1,217,000,000	1,220,000,000	1,093,000,000
Goodwill	132,000,000				132,000,000				132,000,000	132,000,000	130,500,000
X-Ray Products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									546,000,000	493,000,000	469,000,000
Operating Earnings									144,000,000	131,000,000	118,000,000
Depreciation & Amortization									13,000,000	10,000,000	8,000,000
Capital Additions									8,000,000	8,000,000	7,000,000
Total Assets	309,000,000				265,000,000				309,000,000	265,000,000	268,000,000
Goodwill	17,000,000				17,000,000				17,000,000	17,000,000	6,100,000
Total Reportable Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									2,799,000,000	2,682,000,000	2,491,000,000
Operating Earnings									656,000,000	636,000,000	625,000,000
Depreciation & Amortization									34,000,000	33,000,000	27,000,000
Capital Additions									33,000,000	25,000,000	24,000,000
Total Assets	1,526,000,000				1,485,000,000				1,526,000,000	1,485,000,000	1,361,000,000
Goodwill	149,000,000				149,000,000				149,000,000	149,000,000	136,000,000
Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									144,000,000	125,000,000	106,000,000
Operating Earnings									(25,000,000)	(32,000,000)	(32,000,000)
Depreciation & Amortization									3,000,000	4,000,000	3,000,000
Capital Additions									10,000,000	10,000,000	13,000,000
Total Assets	367,000,000				313,000,000				367,000,000	313,000,000	239,000,000
Goodwill	76,000,000				73,000,000				76,000,000	73,000,000	76,000,000
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues
Operating Earnings									(22,000,000)	(10,000,000)	(5,000,000)
Depreciation & Amortization									26,000,000	24,000,000	23,000,000
Capital Additions									35,000,000	32,000,000	34,000,000
Total Assets	1,575,000,000				1,081,000,000				1,575,000,000	1,081,000,000	899,000,000
Goodwill