CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock	Capital in Excess of Par Value	Retained Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Total Varian Stockholders' Equity	Noncontrolling Interests
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Sep. 28, 2012		109,407,000
Beginning balance at Sep. 28, 2012	$ 1,509,776	$ 109,407	$ 563,875	$ 893,115	$ (56,621)	$ 1,509,776	$ 0
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net earnings	438,248			438,248		438,248
Other comprehensive earnings	16,550				16,550	16,550
Issuance of common stock	129,659	$ 3,222	126,437			129,659
Issuance of common stock (in shares)		3,222,000
Tax benefits from exercises of share-based payment awards	10,708		10,708			10,708
Shares repurchased for tax withholdings on vesting of restricted stock and restricted stock units (in shares)		(138,000)
Shares repurchased for tax withholdings on vesting of restricted stock and restricted stock units	(9,560)	$ (138)	(9,422)			(9,560)
Share-based compensation expense	42,130		42,130			42,130
Repurchases of common stock	$ (423,664)	$ (6,000)	(96,644)	(321,020)		(423,664)
Repurchases of common stock (in shares)	(6,000,000)	(6,000,000)
Ending balance at Sep. 27, 2013	$ 1,713,847	$ 106,491	637,084	1,010,343	(40,071)	1,713,847	0
Ending Balance (in shares) at Sep. 27, 2013		106,491,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net earnings	403,703			403,703		403,703
Other comprehensive earnings	(18,540)				(18,540)	(18,540)
Issuance of common stock	99,655	$ 2,317	97,338			99,655
Issuance of common stock (in shares)		2,317,000
Tax benefits from exercises of share-based payment awards	10,900		10,900			10,900
Shares repurchased for tax withholdings on vesting of restricted stock and restricted stock units (in shares)		(116,000)
Shares repurchased for tax withholdings on vesting of restricted stock and restricted stock units	(8,764)	$ (116)	(8,648)			(8,764)
Share-based compensation expense	39,636		39,636			39,636
Repurchases of common stock	$ (624,017)	$ (7,750)	(133,462)	(482,805)		(624,017)
Repurchases of common stock (in shares)	(7,750,000)	(7,750,000)
Ending balance at Sep. 26, 2014	$ 1,616,420	$ 100,942	642,848	931,241	(58,611)	1,616,420
Ending Balance (in shares) at Sep. 26, 2014	100,942,000	100,942,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net earnings	$ 412,018			411,485		411,485	533
Other comprehensive earnings	(27,852)				(27,852)	(27,852)
Issuance of common stock	91,024	$ 2,136	88,888			91,024
Issuance of common stock (in shares)		2,136,000
Tax benefits from exercises of share-based payment awards	$ 12,579		12,579			12,579
Shares repurchased for tax withholdings on vesting of restricted stock and restricted stock units (in shares)	(183,458)	(183,000)
Shares repurchased for tax withholdings on vesting of restricted stock and restricted stock units	$ (16,323)	$ (183)	(16,140)			(16,323)
Share-based compensation expense	46,303		46,303			46,303
Repurchases of common stock	$ (422,036)	$ (4,825)	(92,311)	(324,900)		(422,036)
Repurchases of common stock (in shares)	(4,824,849)	(4,825,000)
Acquisition of MeVis Medical Solutions AG	$ 10,218						10,218
Capital contributions from minority shareholders	3,993						3,993
Ending balance at Oct. 02, 2015	$ 1,726,344	$ 98,070	$ 682,167	$ 1,017,826	$ (86,463)	$ 1,711,600	$ 14,744
Ending Balance (in shares) at Oct. 02, 2015	98,070,000	98,070,000