SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                   -------------------------------------------


                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 28, 2000


                           THERMO ELECTRON CORPORATION
              -----------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


Delaware                           1-8002                             04-2209186
(State or Other                 (Commission                     (I.R.S. Employer
Jurisdiction of                 File Number)              Identification Number)
Incorporation)


81 Wyman Street
P.O. Box 9046
Waltham, Massachusetts                                                02454-9046
(Address of principal executive offices)                              (Zip Code)



        Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (781) 622-1000






Item 5.     Other Events

      On November 29, 2000,  the  Registrant  issued a press  release,  attached
hereto as Exhibit 99,  regarding its previously  announced cash tender offer for
any and all  outstanding  shares of common stock,  $.01 par value per share,  of
Trex Medical Corporation.

Item 7.   Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits

     (a)  Financial Statements of Businesses Acquired: Not applicable.

     (b)  Pro Forma Financial Information: Not applicable.

     (c)  Exhibits

               99 Press Release dated November 29, 2000.










                                    SIGNATURE

            Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the  Registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, on this 29th day of November, 2000.



                                   THERMO ELECTRON CORPORATION



                                   By:  /s/ Sandra L. Lambert
                                        -------------------------
                                        Sandra L. Lambert
                                        Vice President and Secretary







Exhibit 99

Investor Contact: 781-622-1111
Media Contact: 781-622-1252

          Thermo Electron Completes Cash Tender Offer for Trex Medical

WALTHAM,  Massachusetts,   November  29,  2000  -  Thermo  Electron  Corporation
(NYSE-TMO)  announced today that it has  successfully  completed its cash tender
offer of $2.15 per share for any and all  outstanding  shares of common stock of
Trex Medical Corporation (AMEX-TXM).

     The offer and withdrawal  rights  expired at midnight on Tuesday,  November
28,  2000.  According  to the report of the  depositary  for the  offer,  Thermo
Electron acquired approximately 6 million shares of Trex Medical common stock in
the offer,  bringing  Thermo  Electron's  equity  ownership  in Trex  Medical to
approximately 97 percent.

     Thermo  Electron  intends to acquire  the  remaining  Trex  Medical  shares
through a short-form  merger later today.  Once Thermo  Electron  completes  the
short-form  merger,  Trex  Medical's  shares  will no  longer  be  listed on the
American Stock Exchange.  Options to purchase Trex Medical common stock that are
outstanding  at the time of the merger  will be assumed by Thermo  Electron  and
converted into options to purchase Thermo Electron common stock.  The short-form
merger does not require Trex Medical board or stockholder approval.

     Stockholders  who  tendered  their  shares in the tender offer will receive
payment for their shares shortly.  Stockholders  who did not tender their shares
will receive  $2.15 per share in the  short-form  merger,  unless they decide to
exercise their statutory appraisal rights.  Detailed instructions will be mailed
within 10 days  outlining  the steps that these Trex Medical  stockholders  must
take in order to obtain payment or exercise their appraisal rights.

     Thermo  Electron  Corporation  is a  leading  provider  of  analytical  and
monitoring instruments used in a broad range of applications, from life sciences
research to  telecommunications  to food and beverage  production.  In addition,
Thermo  Electron  serves  the  healthcare  market  through a family  of  medical
products,  and is a major  producer  of paper  recycling  systems  and  provides
water-clarification  and fiber-recovery  products and services.  As announced on
January 31, 2000,  the company has initiated a major  reorganization  that would
transform  it into one company  focused on its core  measurement  and  detection
instruments  business.   More  information  is  available  on  the  Internet  at
http://www.thermo.com. Other Important Information:

     We urge  investors and security  holders to read the  following  documents,
which contain  important  information  regarding the tender offer and the merger
described in this announcement:

     Thermo Electron's offer to purchase and other tender offer materials.


     Thermo  Electron's  Tender  Offer and Rule 13e-3  Transaction  Statement on
Schedule  TO, as  amended,  which  contains or  incorporates  by  reference  the
documents listed above and other information.

     Trex Medical's Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9.

     These  documents  and  amendments to these  documents  have been or will be
filed with the SEC. When these and other  documents are filed with the SEC, they
may be  obtained  for free at the  SEC's Web site at  www.sec.gov.  You may also
obtain for free each of these documents,  when available,  from us. You can call
us at (781) 622-1111 or write to us at:

      Investor Relations Department
      Thermo Electron Corporation
      81 Wyman Street, P.O.  Box 9046
      Waltham, MA 02454-9046

     This press release includes certain forward-looking  statements,  including
statements  concerning Thermo Electron  Corporation's  plans with respect to the
acquisition,  through the tender offer and the short-form  merger, of all of the
equity interests in Trex Medical Corporation.  Such  forward-looking  statements
are not guarantees and involve risks and uncertainties. The actual actions taken
by  Thermo   Electron  may  differ   materially  from  those  described  in  the
forward-looking  statements  as a result of  various  factors,  including  those
described in the Offer to Purchase in the section titled "Special Factors."