<?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>0001049637</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WILLIAMS TAFFY J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O INKLINE PHARMACEUTICAL CO INC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>425 PARK AVE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
      <isDirector>1</isDirector>
      <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
      <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
      <isOther>0</isOther>
      <officerTitle>CEO, President and Chairman</officerTitle>
    </reportingOwnerRelationship>
  </reportingOwner>
  <nonDerivativeTable>
    <nonDerivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>4250</value>
          <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>D</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeHolding>
  </nonDerivativeTable>
  <derivativeTable>
    <derivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Options (right to buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <value>60.00</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <exerciseDate>
        <value>2003-11-12</value>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
        <value>2010-04-30</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
        <underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
        </underlyingSecurityTitle>
        <underlyingSecurityShares>
          <value>750000</value>
        </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>750000</value>
          <footnoteId id="F2"/>
        </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>300000</value>
        </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>1050000</value>
          <footnoteId id="F2"/>
        </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>1233450</value>
        </transactionShares>
        <transactionPricePerShare>
          <value>0</value>
          <footnoteId id="F2"/>
        </transactionPricePerShare>
        <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
          <value>A</value>
        </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <exerciseDate>
        <value>2003-11-12</value>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
        <value>2012-10-31</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
        <underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
        </underlyingSecurityTitle>
        <underlyingSecurityShares>
          <value>1233450</value>
        </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>2283450</value>
          <footnoteId id="F2"/>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>D</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeTransaction>
  </derivativeTable>
  <footnotes>
    <footnote id="F1">The shares set forth herein are after a one for four reverse split of the Issuer's common stock that occurred in November, 2002.</footnote>
    <footnote id="F2">The Compensation Committee and the Issuer's Board approved grants of qualified options to the Reporting Person on 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/ Taffy J. Williams</signatureName>
    <signatureDate>2003-09-11</signatureDate>
  </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

