Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Select Balance Sheet Information (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Description and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Select Balance Sheet Information [Abstract]

Schedule of unrealized holding gains and losses, and fair value of available-for-sale securities

	2012
	Original Cost		Unrealized Gains		Unrealized Losses			Fair Value
U.S. government and government agency obligations	$	28,641	$	213	$	—		$	28,854
Mortgage-backed securities		2,896		129		(26	)		2,999
Municipal bonds		3,178		35		—			3,213
Asset-backed securities		613		—		(15	)		598
Corporate bonds		6,858		28		—			6,886
Total	$	42,186	$	405	$	(41	)	$	42,550

	2011
	Original Cost		Unrealized Gains		Unrealized Losses			Fair Value
U.S. government and government agency obligations	$	30,433	$	176	$	(6	)	$	30,603
Mortgage-backed securities		3,871		131		(54	)		3,948
Municipal bonds		3,561		53		—			3,614
Asset-backed securities		1,336		1		(49	)		1,288
Corporate bonds		2,474		32		(9	)		2,497
Total	$	41,675	$	393	$	(118	)	$	41,950

Schedule of original cost and fair value of investments by contractual maturity

	Amortized Cost		Fair Value
Debt securities due within:
One year	$	14,093	$	14,117
One to five years		23,903		24,149
Five years or more		4,190		4,284
Total	$	42,186	$	42,550

Schedule of sales available-for-sale securities

	2012			2011			2010
Proceeds from sales	$	43,556		$	50,364		$	23,986
Gross realized gains	$	229		$	384		$	302
Gross realized losses	$	(1	)	$	(4	)	$	(3	)

Schedule of components of inventories

	2012		2011
Raw materials	$	1,479	$	1,218
Finished products		2,045		1,963
Total	$	3,524	$	3,181

Schedule of Property, Plant and Equipment

	Useful Life		2012			2011
	(In years)
Land			$	4,359		$	4,359
Laboratory fixtures and equipment		3 to 10		13,004			13,236
Buildings and improvements		3 to 20		14,702			14,655
Office furniture and equipment		3 to 10		3,370			3,222
Construction-in-progress				848			237
Less accumulated depreciation				(22,673	)		(21,123	)
Property and equipment, net			$	13,610		$	14,586

Schedule of other assets consist principally of strategic investments

	2012		2011
Investment in OctoPlus N.V.	$	718	$	1,190
Investment in Nexeon MedSystems, Inc.		285		285
Investment in ThermopeutiX, Inc.		1,185		1,185
Investment in ViaCyte, Inc.		559		559
Other		84		84
Other assets, net	$	2,831	$	3,303

Schedule of intangible assets

	2012
	Weighted Average Original Life (Years)		Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net
Definite-lived intangible assets:
Customer lists		9.0	$	4,857	$	(2,734	)	$	2,123
Core technology		8.0		530		(343	)		187
Patents and other		16.8		2,256		(716	)		1,540
Subtotal				7,643		(3,793	)		3,850
Unamortized intangible assets:
Trademarks				580		—			580
Total			$	8,223	$	(3,793	)	$	4,430

	2011
	Weighted Average Original Life (Years)		Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net
Definite-lived intangible assets:
Customer lists		9.0	$	4,857	$	(2,195	)	$	2,662
Core technology		8.0		530		(276	)		254
Patents and other		16.8		2,308		(605	)		1,703
Subtotal				7,695		(3,076	)		4,619
Unamortized intangible assets:
Trademarks				580		—			580
Total			$	8,275	$	(3,076	)	$	5,199

Schedule of intangible assets in service

2013	$	742
2014		742
2015		731
2016		594
2017		183

Schedule of basic and diluted income (loss) per share

	2012		2011		2010
Basic weighted average shares outstanding		17,318		17,419		17,372
Dilutive effect of outstanding stock options and non-vested stock		113		43		8
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding		17,431		17,462		17,380