<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>5</documentType>
  <periodOfReport>2003-08-13</periodOfReport>
  <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <form3HoldingsReported>0</form3HoldingsReported>

    <form4TransactionsReported>0</form4TransactionsReported>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000761237</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PHOTOGEN TECHNOLOGIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PHGNE</issuerTradingSymbol>
  </issuer>
  <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001263588</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GOLUB EUGENE</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1></rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity></rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
      <isDirector>1</isDirector>
      <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
      <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
      <isOther>0</isOther>
    </reportingOwnerRelationship>
  </reportingOwner>
  <nonDerivativeTable>
    <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Common stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
        <value>2002-11-12</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
        <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
        <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
        <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
        <value></value>
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
        <transactionShares>
          <value>7423</value>
          <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </transactionShares>
        <transactionPricePerShare>
          <value>0</value>
          <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </transactionPricePerShare>
        <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
          <value>A</value>
        </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>21673</value>
          <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>I</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        <natureOfOwnership>
          <value>See</value>
          <footnoteId id="F2"/>
        </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Common stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
        <value>2002-12-30</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
        <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
        <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
        <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
        <value></value>
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
        <transactionShares>
          <value>92592</value>
          <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </transactionShares>
        <transactionPricePerShare>
          <value>1.08</value>
        </transactionPricePerShare>
        <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
          <value>A</value>
        </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>114265</value>
          <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>I</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        <natureOfOwnership>
          <value>See</value>
          <footnoteId id="F2"/>
        </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeTransaction>
  </nonDerivativeTable>
  <derivativeTable>
    <derivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Options (right to buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <value>0.93</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <transactionDate>
        <value>2003-01-03</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
        <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
        <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
        <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
        <value></value>
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
        <transactionTotalValue>
          <value>10000</value>
        </transactionTotalValue>
        <transactionPricePerShare>
          <value>0</value>
        </transactionPricePerShare>
        <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
          <value>A</value>
        </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <exerciseDate>
        <value>2004-01-03</value>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
        <value>2013-01-02</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
        <underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
        </underlyingSecurityTitle>
        <underlyingSecurityShares>
          <value>10000</value>
        </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>10000</value>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>D</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeTransaction>
    <derivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Options (right to buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <value>4.56</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <exerciseDate>
        <value>2002-12-05</value>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
        <value>2011-12-05</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
        <underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
        </underlyingSecurityTitle>
        <underlyingSecurityShares>
          <value>7500</value>
        </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>7500</value>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>D</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeHolding>
    <derivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Options (right to buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <value>11.00</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <exerciseDate>
        <value>2000-12-01</value>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
        <value>2010-11-30</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
        <underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
        </underlyingSecurityTitle>
        <underlyingSecurityShares>
          <value>7500</value>
        </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>7500</value>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>D</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeHolding>
  </derivativeTable>
  <footnotes>
    <footnote id="F1">On November 12, 2002, the shares of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock held by Golub Family Investment Partnership (the "Partnership") were converted into 7,423 shares of common stock of the Issuer.  On December 30, 2002, the Partnership and Hanna Golub, the wife of the reporting person, each acquired 46,296 shares of the Issuer's common stock at $1.08 per share.</footnote>
    <footnote id="F2">The reporting person may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of all shares held by the Partnership or his wife.  The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares for all other purposes.  Note that the shares set forth herein are after a one for four reverse split of Photogen's common stock that occurred on November, 2002.</footnote>
  </footnotes>
  <remarks>On August 13, 2003, the reporting person resigned from Photogen's Board of Directors and as a member of the Audit Committee.</remarks>
  <ownerSignature>
    <signatureName>/s/ Gene Golub</signatureName>
    <signatureDate>2003-09-11</signatureDate>
  </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

