CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	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. 27, 2013		106.5
Balance at beginning of period at Sep. 27, 2013	$ 1,713.8	$ 106.5	$ 637.1	$ 1,010.3	$ (40.1)	$ 1,713.8	$ 0.0
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net earnings	403.7			403.7		403.7
Other comprehensive loss	(18.5)				(18.5)	(18.5)
Issuance of common stock	99.7	$ 2.3	97.4			99.7
Issuance of common stock (in shares)		2.3
Tax benefits from exercises of share-based payment awards	10.9		10.9			10.9
Shares repurchased for tax withholdings on vesting of restricted stock and restricted stock units (in shares)		(0.1)
Shares repurchased for tax withholdings on vesting of restricted stock and restricted stock units	(8.8)	$ (0.1)	(8.7)			(8.8)
Share-based compensation expense	$ 39.6		39.6			39.6
Repurchases of common stock (in shares)	(7.8)	(7.7)
Repurchases of common stock	$ (624.0)	$ (7.7)	(133.5)	(482.8)		(624.0)
Balance at end of period at Sep. 26, 2014	1,616.4	$ 101.0	642.8	931.2	(58.6)	1,616.4	0.0
Ending Balance (in shares) at Sep. 26, 2014		101.0
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net earnings	412.0			411.5		411.5	0.5
Other comprehensive loss	(27.9)				(27.9)	(27.9)
Issuance of common stock	91.0	$ 2.1	88.9			91.0
Issuance of common stock (in shares)		2.1
Tax benefits from exercises of share-based payment awards	12.6		12.6			12.6
Shares repurchased for tax withholdings on vesting of restricted stock and restricted stock units (in shares)		(0.2)
Shares repurchased for tax withholdings on vesting of restricted stock and restricted stock units	(16.3)	$ (0.2)	(16.1)			(16.3)
Share-based compensation expense	$ 46.3		46.3			46.3
Repurchases of common stock (in shares)	(4.8)	(4.8)
Repurchases of common stock	$ (422.0)	$ (4.8)	(92.3)	(324.9)		(422.0)
Acquisition of MeVis Medical Solutions AG	10.2						10.2
Capital contributions by minority shareholders	4.0						4.0
Balance at end of period at Oct. 02, 2015	$ 1,726.3	$ 98.1	682.2	1,017.8	(86.5)	1,711.6	14.7
Ending Balance (in shares) at Oct. 02, 2015	98.1	98.1
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net earnings	$ 402.7
Net earnings	402.2			402.3		402.3	(0.1)
Other comprehensive loss	(14.3)				(14.3)	(14.3)
Issuance of common stock	61.9	$ 1.4	60.5			61.9
Issuance of common stock (in shares)		1.4
Tax benefits from exercises of share-based payment awards	$ 3.0		3.0			3.0
Shares repurchased for tax withholdings on vesting of restricted stock and restricted stock units (in shares)	(0.1)	(0.1)
Shares repurchased for tax withholdings on vesting of restricted stock and restricted stock units	$ (11.0)	$ (0.1)	(10.9)			(11.0)
Share-based compensation expense	$ 48.3		48.3			48.3
Repurchases of common stock (in shares)	(5.7)	(5.7)
Repurchases of common stock	$ (461.3)	$ (5.7)	(104.5)	(351.1)		(461.3)
Acquisition of MeVis Medical Solutions AG							0.0
Reclassification of noncontrolling interests in MeVis Medical Solutions AG to redeemable noncontrolling interests	(10.4)						(10.4)
Other	(0.5)						(0.5)
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2016	$ 1,744.2	$ 93.7	$ 678.6	$ 1,069.0	$ (100.8)	$ 1,740.5	$ 3.7
Ending Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2016	93.7	93.7