content: 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):
  
                                   August 12, 1998
  
                     ----------------------------------------
  
  
                              THERMEDICS DETECTION INC.
               (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
  
  
  Massachusetts                   1-12745                          04-3106698
  (State or other               (Commission                    (I.R.S. Employer
  jurisdiction of               File Number)               Identification Number) 
  incorporation or
  organization)
  
  
  220 Mill Road
  Chelmsford, Massachusetts                                        01824-4178
  (Address of principal executive offices)                         (Zip Code)
  
  
                                  (978) 251-2000
                           (Registrant's telephone number
                                including area code)
  
  
  
  <PAGE>
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Item 5.     Other Events
  
              On August 12, 1998, Thermo Electron Corporation ("Thermo Electron"),
  the Registrant's ultimate parent corporation,  issued a press release,  attached
  hereto as Exhibit 99, regarding a proposed  corporate  reorganization  involving
  certain of Thermo Electron's subsidiaries, including the Registrant.
  
  
  Item 7.     Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits
  
        (a)   Financial Statements of Business Acquired: not
              applicable.
  
        (b)   Pro Forma Financial Information: not applicable.
  
        (c)   Exhibits
  
              99    Press Release of Thermo Electron, dated August 12, 1998
  
  
  
  
  
  
  <PAGE>
  
  
  
  
                                      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 12th day of August, 1998.
  
  
  
                                      THERMEDICS DETECTION INC.
  
  
                                      By: /s/ Kenneth J. Apicerno
                                            Kenneth J. Apicerno
                                            Treasurer
  
  
  
  
  
  
  <PAGE>
  
  
  
  EXHIBIT 99
  
  THERMO ELECTRON PROPOSES CORPORATE REORGANIZATION
  
  WALTHAM,  Mass., August 12, 1998 -- Thermo Electron Corporation (NYSE-TMO) today
  announced  that its board of  directors  has  authorized  a  proposed  corporate
  reorganization. The goals of the plan are to:
  
       -    Reduce  the   complexity   of  the  company's   corporate   structure,
       -    Consolidate and  strategically  realign certain  businesses to enhance
            their   competitive    market   positions   and   improve   management
            coordination,  and  
       -    Increase the  liquidity in the public  markets for stock of the  
            company's  publicly  traded  subsidiaries  by  providing larger 
            market floats.
  
        The  proposed  reorganization  is  expected to reduce the number of Thermo
  Electron's majority-owned public subsidiaries from 23 to 15. The company expects
  to promptly begin implementation of the reorganization,  although it may take up
  to two years to complete all aspects of the plan.
  
        George N.  Hatsopoulos,  chairman  of Thermo  Electron,  said,  "We firmly
  believe that spinouts continue to offer many advantages. The strategy is dynamic
  - allowing us to respond to changes in the marketplace and revamp those parts of
  the  structure  that no longer meet our goals for a public  subsidiary.  In some
  cases,  the potential  rewards for some of our companies have become out of line
  with the risks.  We will  continue  to closely  monitor the  performance  of our
  spinouts to assess their viability in the public markets.  I wish to stress that
  the benefits we  anticipate  from this  reorganization  are long term. We do not
  anticipate any material benefits in the short term."
  
        John N.  Hatsopoulos,  president  and chief  financial  officer  of Thermo
  Electron,  added, "Our number one goal for this plan is to simplify our company.
  We also expect that larger,  more closely aligned businesses will strengthen our
  competitive positions.  Larger size should create better liquidity for investors
  by increasing the public float, and, we believe, keep in proper perspective some
  of the problems experienced by our smaller subsidiaries."
  
        The proposed  corporate  reorganization  is best  outlined in four general
  categories:
  
     1. Reorganization of biomedical businesses. The wholly owned biomedical group
        of Thermo  Electron,  called Thermo  Biomedical,  would be  transferred to
        Thermo Electron's  Thermedics subsidiary to better position the company to
        expand its presence in that marketplace,  while creating a focused company
        for healthcare investors.  Thermo Biomedical,  which includes Bear Medical
        Systems Inc.;  Bird Products  Corporation;  Bird Life Design  Corporation;
        Stackhouse Inc.; SensorMedics Corporation; Medical Data Electronics, Inc.;
        and Nicolet Biomedical Inc., had unaudited 1997 revenues of
  
                                       -more-
  
  <PAGE>
  
  
        $232 million. These companies would be transferred from Thermo Electron
        to Thermedics in exchange for Thermedics shares.
  
     2. Realignment of instrument  companies.  First,  Thermedics'  non-biomedical
        public  subsidiaries - Thermo Sentron,  Thermedics  Detection,  and Thermo
        Voltek (if not sold to an unaffiliated third party) - would be transferred
        to  Thermo  Electron's  Thermo  Instrument  Systems  subsidiary,  creating
        efficiencies by aligning these industrial  instrumentation businesses with
        the instrument family of companies for a better strategic fit. Thermedics'
        majority  ownership in each of these  subsidiaries would be transferred to
        Thermo  Electron  for  shares of  Thermedics  common  stock held by Thermo
        Electron.  Thermo Electron, in turn, would transfer these equity interests
        to Thermo Instrument Systems in exchange for cash. If Thermo Voltek is not
        sold to an  unaffiliated  third  party,  it would  become  a wholly  owned
        subsidiary of Thermo Instrument Systems.
              Second, two public Thermo Instrument Systems  subsidiaries - Metrika
        Systems and ONIX Systems - and Thermo Sentron, would be merged to form one
        combined  majority-owned  public subsidiary of Thermo Instrument  Systems.
        The  company  believes  that  the  combined  entity,   with  complementary
        products, technologies, and distribution networks, would be better able to
        address the market for  industrial  sensors and advanced  process  control
        systems.  Shareholders of each of the three companies would receive shares
        of common stock in the combined entity in exchange for their shares in the
        subsidiaries.
              Third,  ThermoSpectra,  a public  subsidiary  of  Thermo  Instrument
        Systems,  along with  Thermedics  Detection,  would be taken  private  and
        become   wholly  owned   subsidiaries   of  Thermo   Instrument   Systems.
        ThermoSpectra and Thermedics Detection  shareholders would receive cash or
        Thermo  Instrument  Systems  common  stock in exchange for their shares of
        common stock of ThermoSpectra or Thermedics Detection.
  
     3. Consolidation of industrial outsourcing companies.  The public and private
        subsidiaries of Thermo  Electron's  Thermo  TerraTech  subsidiary - Thermo
        Remediation,   The  Randers  Group,   and  Thermo   EuroTech  -  would  be
        consolidated  into Thermo  TerraTech to strengthen the group's  ability to
        compete in the industrial and environmental  outsourcing  markets, as well
        as  enhance  their  ability  to  withstand   adverse  market   conditions.
        Shareholders of each of these  subsidiaries  would receive common stock in
        Thermo TerraTech in exchange for their shares in the subsidiaries.
  
     4. Other strategic  reorganizations.  Thermo Coleman, a private subsidiary of
        Thermo  Electron,  would  be  merged  into  Thermo  Electron's  ThermoTrex
        subsidiary,  consolidating the company's R&D and government-contract  work
        within one entity to offer greater efficiencies and enhance  opportunities
        to develop and  commercialize  technologies.  Thermo Coleman  shareholders
        would  receive  shares of  ThermoTrex  common  stock in exchange for their
        Thermo Coleman shares.
              Also, Thermo Power, a public subsidiary of Thermo Electron, would be
        taken  private and become a wholly owned  subsidiary  of Thermo  Electron.
        Shareholders  of Thermo Power would receive cash or Thermo Electron common
        stock in exchange for their shares of Thermo Power common stock.
  
                                       -more-
  
  
        All convertible  debentures previously issued by subsidiaries that will no
  longer be majority-owned  entities following this reorganization will be assumed
  by the surviving  public parent  company,  and will be  convertible  into common
  stock of that company.  Thermo Electron's guarantee of each of these convertible
  debentures will not be affected by the proposed reorganization.
  
        While  these   transactions  will  generate   numerous  costs,   including
  investment  banking fees, legal fees, and government  filings,  the company does
  not believe that any significant restructuring charges will be necessary.
  
        The  company  also  plans to divest of certain  non-strategic  businesses,
  totaling approximately $100 million in revenues,  that no longer fit its profile
  for long-term growth potential.
  
  
  
  
  <PAGE>
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
                          Proposed Corporate Reorganization
                      Boldface type indicates public entity (*)
  
  
  
  *Thermo Electron                        *Thermo Instrument
        Thermo Power                           Thermedics Detection
        Tecomet                                ThermoSpectra
        Peter Brotherhood                      Thermo Voltek
        Napco                                  *ThermoQuest
                                               *Thermo BioAnalysis
  *Thermo Ecotek                               *Thermo Optek
                                               *Thermo Vision
  *Thermo Fibertek                             *New Co. (Thermo Sentron,
        *Thermo Fibergen                        Metrika Systems, ONIX
                                                Systems)
  
  *Thermo TerraTech                       *ThermoTrex
        Thermo Remediation                     Thermo Coleman
        Randers Group                          *Trex Medical
        Thermo EuroTech                        *ThermoLase
  
  *Thermedics
        Thermo Biomedical
        *Thermo Cardiosystems
  
        All  of  these  transactions  will  be  subject  to  numerous  conditions,
  including   establishment  of  prices  and  exchange  ratios,   confirmation  of
  anticipated tax consequences,  approval by the board of directors (including the
  independent  directors)  of each of the  affected  majority-owned  subsidiaries,
  negotiation and execution of definitive  purchase and sale or merger agreements,
  clearance by the Securities and Exchange  Commission of registration  statements
  and/or  proxy  materials  regarding  the  proposed   transactions,   and,  where
  appropriate,   fairness  opinions  from  investment   banking  firms.  Any  such
  transactions that will involve a public offering of securities will be made only
  by means of a prospectus.
  
  
                                       -more-
  
  
  
  
        Thermo Electron Corporation is a world leader in analytical and monitoring
  instruments;     biomedical    products    including    heart-assist    devices,
  respiratory-care  equipment,  and mammography  systems;  and paper recycling and
  papermaking equipment. The company also develops  alternative-energy systems and
  clean fuels,  provides a range of services including industrial  outsourcing and
  environmental-liability  management,  and conducts  research and  development in
  advanced imaging,  laser communications,  and electronic  information-management
  technologies.  With annual worldwide sales of $3.6 billion,  Thermo Electron has
  approximately 22,000 employees and operations in 23 countries.  Headquarters are
  in Waltham,  Massachusetts.  More  information  is  available on the Internet at
  http://www.thermo.com.
  
  This press release contains forward-looking  statements that involve a number of
  risks and  uncertainties.  Important  factors that could cause actual results to
  differ  materially from those indicated by such  forward-looking  statements are
  set forth under the heading  "Forward-looking  Statements"  in Exhibit 13 to the
  company's annual report on Form 10-K, as amended,  for the year ended January 3,
  1998. These include risks and  uncertainties  relating to: the company's spinout
  and acquisition strategies, competition, international operations, technological
  change,  possible  changes  in  governmental  regulations,  regulatory  approval
  requirements,  capital spending and government  funding policies,  dependence on
  intellectual  property  rights,  and the  potential  impact  of the year 2000 on
  processing date-sensitive  information.  In addition to the foregoing risks, the
  proposed  corporate  reorganization is subject to the risk that the contemplated
  benefits of the plan will not be achieved.
  
  
                                      # # #
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text: 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):
  
                                   August 12, 1998
  
                     ----------------------------------------
  
                              THERMEDICS DETECTION INC.
               (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
  
  Massachusetts                   1-12745                          04-3106698
  (State or other               (Commission                    (I.R.S. Employer
  jurisdiction of               File Number)               Identification Number) 
  incorporation or
  organization)
  
  220 Mill Road
  Chelmsford, Massachusetts                                        01824-4178
  (Address of principal executive offices)                         (Zip Code)
  
                                  (978) 251-2000
                           (Registrant's telephone number
                                including area code)
  Item 5.     Other Events
  
              On August 12, 1998, Thermo Electron Corporation ("Thermo Electron"),
  the Registrant's ultimate parent corporation,  issued a press release,  attached
  hereto as Exhibit 99, regarding a proposed  corporate  reorganization  involving
  certain of Thermo Electron's subsidiaries, including the Registrant.
  
  Item 7.     Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits
  
        (a)   Financial Statements of Business Acquired: not
              applicable.
  
        (b)   Pro Forma Financial Information: not applicable.
  
        (c)   Exhibits
  
              99    Press Release of Thermo Electron, dated August 12, 1998
  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 12th day of August, 1998.
  
                                      THERMEDICS DETECTION INC.
  
                                      By: /s/ Kenneth J. Apicerno
                                            Kenneth J. Apicerno
                                            Treasurer
  EXHIBIT 99
  
  THERMO ELECTRON PROPOSES CORPORATE REORGANIZATION
  
  WALTHAM,  Mass., August 12, 1998 -- Thermo Electron Corporation (NYSE-TMO) today
  announced  that its board of  directors  has  authorized  a  proposed  corporate
  reorganization. The goals of the plan are to:
  
       -    Reduce  the   complexity   of  the  company's   corporate   structure,
       -    Consolidate and  strategically  realign certain  businesses to enhance
            their   competitive    market   positions   and   improve   management
            coordination,  and  
       -    Increase the  liquidity in the public  markets for stock of the  
            company's  publicly  traded  subsidiaries  by  providing larger 
            market floats.
  
        The  proposed  reorganization  is  expected to reduce the number of Thermo
  Electron's majority-owned public subsidiaries from 23 to 15. The company expects
  to promptly begin implementation of the reorganization,  although it may take up
  to two years to complete all aspects of the plan.
  
        George N.  Hatsopoulos,  chairman  of Thermo  Electron,  said,  "We firmly
  believe that spinouts continue to offer many advantages. The strategy is dynamic
  - allowing us to respond to changes in the marketplace and revamp those parts of
  the  structure  that no longer meet our goals for a public  subsidiary.  In some
  cases,  the potential  rewards for some of our companies have become out of line
  with the risks.  We will  continue  to closely  monitor the  performance  of our
  spinouts to assess their viability in the public markets.  I wish to stress that
  the benefits we  anticipate  from this  reorganization  are long term. We do not
  anticipate any material benefits in the short term."
  
        John N.  Hatsopoulos,  president  and chief  financial  officer  of Thermo
  Electron,  added, "Our number one goal for this plan is to simplify our company.
  We also expect that larger,  more closely aligned businesses will strengthen our
  competitive positions.  Larger size should create better liquidity for investors
  by increasing the public float, and, we believe, keep in proper perspective some
  of the problems experienced by our smaller subsidiaries."
  
        The proposed  corporate  reorganization  is best  outlined in four general
  categories:
  
     1. Reorganization of biomedical businesses. The wholly owned biomedical group
        of Thermo  Electron,  called Thermo  Biomedical,  would be  transferred to
        Thermo Electron's  Thermedics subsidiary to better position the company to
        expand its presence in that marketplace,  while creating a focused company
        for healthcare investors.  Thermo Biomedical,  which includes Bear Medical
        Systems Inc.;  Bird Products  Corporation;  Bird Life Design  Corporation;
        Stackhouse Inc.; SensorMedics Corporation; Medical Data Electronics, Inc.;
        and Nicolet Biomedical Inc., had unaudited 1997 revenues of
  
                                       -more-
  $232 million. These companies would be transferred from Thermo Electron
        to Thermedics in exchange for Thermedics shares.
  
     2. Realignment of instrument  companies.  First,  Thermedics'  non-biomedical
        public  subsidiaries - Thermo Sentron,  Thermedics  Detection,  and Thermo
        Voltek (if not sold to an unaffiliated third party) - would be transferred
        to  Thermo  Electron's  Thermo  Instrument  Systems  subsidiary,  creating
        efficiencies by aligning these industrial  instrumentation businesses with
        the instrument family of companies for a better strategic fit. Thermedics'
        majority  ownership in each of these  subsidiaries would be transferred to
        Thermo  Electron  for  shares of  Thermedics  common  stock held by Thermo
        Electron.  Thermo Electron, in turn, would transfer these equity interests
        to Thermo Instrument Systems in exchange for cash. If Thermo Voltek is not
        sold to an  unaffiliated  third  party,  it would  become  a wholly  owned
        subsidiary of Thermo Instrument Systems.
              Second, two public Thermo Instrument Systems  subsidiaries - Metrika
        Systems and ONIX Systems - and Thermo Sentron, would be merged to form one
        combined  majority-owned  public subsidiary of Thermo Instrument  Systems.
        The  company  believes  that  the  combined  entity,   with  complementary
        products, technologies, and distribution networks, would be better able to
        address the market for  industrial  sensors and advanced  process  control
        systems.  Shareholders of each of the three companies would receive shares
        of common stock in the combined entity in exchange for their shares in the
        subsidiaries.
              Third,  ThermoSpectra,  a public  subsidiary  of  Thermo  Instrument
        Systems,  along with  Thermedics  Detection,  would be taken  private  and
        become   wholly  owned   subsidiaries   of  Thermo   Instrument   Systems.
        ThermoSpectra and Thermedics Detection  shareholders would receive cash or
        Thermo  Instrument  Systems  common  stock in exchange for their shares of
        common stock of ThermoSpectra or Thermedics Detection.
  
     3. Consolidation of industrial outsourcing companies.  The public and private
        subsidiaries of Thermo  Electron's  Thermo  TerraTech  subsidiary - Thermo
        Remediation,   The  Randers  Group,   and  Thermo   EuroTech  -  would  be
        consolidated  into Thermo  TerraTech to strengthen the group's  ability to
        compete in the industrial and environmental  outsourcing  markets, as well
        as  enhance  their  ability  to  withstand   adverse  market   conditions.
        Shareholders of each of these  subsidiaries  would receive common stock in
        Thermo TerraTech in exchange for their shares in the subsidiaries.
  
     4. Other strategic  reorganizations.  Thermo Coleman, a private subsidiary of
        Thermo  Electron,  would  be  merged  into  Thermo  Electron's  ThermoTrex
        subsidiary,  consolidating the company's R&D and government-contract  work
        within one entity to offer greater efficiencies and enhance  opportunities
        to develop and  commercialize  technologies.  Thermo Coleman  shareholders
        would  receive  shares of  ThermoTrex  common  stock in exchange for their
        Thermo Coleman shares.
              Also, Thermo Power, a public subsidiary of Thermo Electron, would be
        taken  private and become a wholly owned  subsidiary  of Thermo  Electron.
        Shareholders  of Thermo Power would receive cash or Thermo Electron common
        stock in exchange for their shares of Thermo Power common stock.
  
                                       -more-
  
        All convertible  debentures previously issued by subsidiaries that will no
  longer be majority-owned  entities following this reorganization will be assumed
  by the surviving  public parent  company,  and will be  convertible  into common
  stock of that company.  Thermo Electron's guarantee of each of these convertible
  debentures will not be affected by the proposed reorganization.
  
        While  these   transactions  will  generate   numerous  costs,   including
  investment  banking fees, legal fees, and government  filings,  the company does
  not believe that any significant restructuring charges will be necessary.
  
        The  company  also  plans to divest of certain  non-strategic  businesses,
  totaling approximately $100 million in revenues,  that no longer fit its profile
  for long-term growth potential.
  Proposed Corporate Reorganization
                      Boldface type indicates public entity (*)
  
  *Thermo Electron                        *Thermo Instrument
        Thermo Power                           Thermedics Detection
        Tecomet                                ThermoSpectra
        Peter Brotherhood                      Thermo Voltek
        Napco                                  *ThermoQuest
                                               *Thermo BioAnalysis
  *Thermo Ecotek                               *Thermo Optek
                                               *Thermo Vision
  *Thermo Fibertek                             *New Co. (Thermo Sentron,
        *Thermo Fibergen                        Metrika Systems, ONIX
                                                Systems)
  
  *Thermo TerraTech                       *ThermoTrex
        Thermo Remediation                     Thermo Coleman
        Randers Group                          *Trex Medical
        Thermo EuroTech                        *ThermoLase
  
  *Thermedics
        Thermo Biomedical
        *Thermo Cardiosystems
  
        All  of  these  transactions  will  be  subject  to  numerous  conditions,
  including   establishment  of  prices  and  exchange  ratios,   confirmation  of
  anticipated tax consequences,  approval by the board of directors (including the
  independent  directors)  of each of the  affected  majority-owned  subsidiaries,
  negotiation and execution of definitive  purchase and sale or merger agreements,
  clearance by the Securities and Exchange  Commission of registration  statements
  and/or  proxy  materials  regarding  the  proposed   transactions,   and,  where
  appropriate,   fairness  opinions  from  investment   banking  firms.  Any  such
  transactions that will involve a public offering of securities will be made only
  by means of a prospectus.
  
                                       -more-
  
        Thermo Electron Corporation is a world leader in analytical and monitoring
  instruments;     biomedical    products    including    heart-assist    devices,
  respiratory-care  equipment,  and mammography  systems;  and paper recycling and
  papermaking equipment. The company also develops  alternative-energy systems and
  clean fuels,  provides a range of services including industrial  outsourcing and
  environmental-liability  management,  and conducts  research and  development in
  advanced imaging,  laser communications,  and electronic  information-management
  technologies.  With annual worldwide sales of $3.6 billion,  Thermo Electron has
  approximately 22,000 employees and operations in 23 countries.  Headquarters are
  in Waltham,  Massachusetts.  More  information  is  available on the Internet at
  http://www.thermo.com.
  
  This press release contains forward-looking  statements that involve a number of
  risks and  uncertainties.  Important  factors that could cause actual results to
  differ  materially from those indicated by such  forward-looking  statements are
  set forth under the heading  "Forward-looking  Statements"  in Exhibit 13 to the
  company's annual report on Form 10-K, as amended,  for the year ended January 3,
  1998. These include risks and  uncertainties  relating to: the company's spinout
  and acquisition strategies, competition, international operations, technological
  change,  possible  changes  in  governmental  regulations,  regulatory  approval
  requirements,  capital spending and government  funding policies,  dependence on
  intellectual  property  rights,  and the  potential  impact  of the year 2000 on
  processing date-sensitive  information.  In addition to the foregoing risks, the
  proposed  corporate  reorganization is subject to the risk that the contemplated
  benefits of the plan will not be achieved.
  
                                      # # #