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

    <documentType>4</documentType>
  <periodOfReport>2004-01-14</periodOfReport>
  <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000761237</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PHOTOGEN TECHNOLOGIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PHGN</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>62500</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>1.08</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <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>
    </derivativeHolding>
    <derivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Options (right to buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <value>1.47</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <transactionDate>
        <value>2004-01-14</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
        <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
        <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
        <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
        <value></value>
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
        <transactionShares>
          <value>25000</value>
        </transactionShares>
        <transactionPricePerShare>
          <footnoteId id="F2"/>
        </transactionPricePerShare>
        <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
          <value>A</value>
        </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <exerciseDate>
        <value>2005-01-14</value>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
        <value>2014-01-14</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
        <underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
        </underlyingSecurityTitle>
        <underlyingSecurityShares>
          <value>25000</value>
        </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>888375</value>
          <footnoteId id="F1"/>
          <footnoteId id="F2"/>
        </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>
    <footnote id="F2">On January 14, 2004, Mr. Boveroux was granted to acquire a total of 25,000 shares of common stock in Photogen Technologies, Inc.; 6,250 vesting each year for a period of four years.  These options may terminate earlier under certain circumstances as set forth in Mr. Boveroux's award agreement.</footnote>
  </footnotes>
  <ownerSignature>
    <signatureName>/s/ Brooks Boveroux</signatureName>
    <signatureDate>2004-01-14</signatureDate>
  </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

