Major Customers and Segment Data (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2009
Segment information for the interim periods
Net sales - Third-party	$ 41,349	$ 40,052	$ 41,059	$ 37,263	$ 35,539	$ 33,857	$ 31,147	$ 42,457	$ 159,723	$ 143,000	$ 148,274
Net sales - Inter-segment									0
Operating income									40,033	41,138	48,779
Depreciation and amortization									5,873	4,685	4,360
Capital expenditures									9,139	3,083	3,643
Goodwill	23,124				23,302				23,124	23,302	9,866
Other intangible assets, net	10,947				13,327				10,947	13,327	7,317
Total assets	155,493				154,641				155,493	154,641	155,997
U.S. Diagnostics [Member]
Segment information for the interim periods
Net sales - Third-party									97,133	92,020	98,970
Net sales - Inter-segment									10,322	10,285	10,700
Operating income									35,191	33,432	39,490
Depreciation and amortization									2,854	2,722	2,680
Capital expenditures									4,964	1,869	2,082
Goodwill	1,381				1,381				1,381	1,381	1,381
Other intangible assets, net	1,604				2,283				1,604	2,283	2,909
Total assets	73,850				72,030				73,850	72,030	102,506
European Diagnostics [Member]
Segment information for the interim periods
Net sales - Third-party									24,187	24,041	25,870
Net sales - Inter-segment									27	20	6
Operating income									2,199	3,367	4,459
Depreciation and amortization									116	86	92
Capital expenditures									77	213	81
Goodwill	0				0				0	0	0
Other intangible assets, net	0				9				0	9	24
Total assets	19,390				18,044				19,390	18,044	18,221
Life Science [Member]
Segment information for the interim periods
Net sales - Third-party									38,403	26,939	23,434
Net sales - Inter-segment									756	561	715
Operating income									2,595	3,615	4,728
Depreciation and amortization									2,903	1,877	1,588
Capital expenditures									4,098	1,001	1,480
Goodwill	21,743				21,921				21,743	21,921	8,485
Other intangible assets, net	9,343				11,035				9,343	11,035	4,384
Total assets	92,467				90,388				92,467	90,388	55,592
Eliminations [Member]
Segment information for the interim periods
Net sales - Third-party									0
Net sales - Inter-segment									(11,105)	(10,866)	(11,421)
Operating income									48	724	102
Depreciation and amortization									0
Capital expenditures									0
Goodwill	0				0				0	0	0
Other intangible assets, net	0				0				0	0	0
Total assets	$ (30,214)				$ (25,821)				$ (30,214)	$ (25,821)	$ (20,322)