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

    <documentType>4</documentType>
  <periodOfReport>2002-11-12</periodOfReport>
  <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000761237</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PHOTOGEN TECHNOLOGIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PHGNE</issuerTradingSymbol>
  </issuer>
  <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001262295</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BOVEROUX BROOKS</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>140 UNION SQUARE DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW HOPE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>PA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>18938</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
      <isDirector>0</isDirector>
      <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
      <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
      <isOther>0</isOther>
      <officerTitle>CFO and Senior VP</officerTitle>
    </reportingOwnerRelationship>
  </reportingOwner>
  <derivativeTable>
    <derivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Options (right to buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <value>33.00</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <exerciseDate>
        <value>2003-11-12</value>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
        <value>2010-08-01</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
        <underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
        </underlyingSecurityTitle>
        <underlyingSecurityShares>
          <value>250000</value>
        </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>250000</value>
          <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </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>2003-11-12</value>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
        <value>2010-11-30</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
        <underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
        </underlyingSecurityTitle>
        <underlyingSecurityShares>
          <value>62500</value>
        </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>312500</value>
          <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>D</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeHolding>
    <derivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Options (right to buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <value>1.08</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <transactionDate>
        <value>2002-11-12</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
        <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
        <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
        <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
        <value></value>
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
        <transactionShares>
          <value>550875</value>
        </transactionShares>
        <transactionPricePerShare>
          <value>0</value>
          <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </transactionPricePerShare>
        <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
          <value>A</value>
        </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <exerciseDate>
        <value>2004-11-12</value>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
        <value>2012-10-31</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
        <underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
        </underlyingSecurityTitle>
        <underlyingSecurityShares>
          <value>550875</value>
        </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>863375</value>
          <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>D</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeTransaction>
  </derivativeTable>
  <footnotes>
    <footnote id="F1">The Compensation Committee and the Issuer's Board approved grants of qualified options to the Reporting Person on the terms described in Table II.  The options vest in accordance with and are in other respects subject to stock option award agreements.</footnote>
  </footnotes>
  <ownerSignature>
    <signatureName>/s/ Brooks Boveroux</signatureName>
    <signatureDate>2003-09-11</signatureDate>
  </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

