<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2006-02-20</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000888693</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ISCO INTERNATIONAL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ISO</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001267616</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>POWERS TOM</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O ISCO INTERNATIONAL, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1001 CAMBRIDGE DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ELK GROVE VILLAGE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60007</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>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-02-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>22500</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>25688</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Restricted shares awarded to Mr. Powers which will vest  in two equal installments of 11,250 shares on March 15, 2006 and June 15, 2006.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Mr. Powers did not pay for the shares in question; they were awarded to him pursuant to the Issuer's non-employee director compensation policy.  12,500 shares were awarded for his service as a board member;  and 6,250 were awarded for his service as Chairman of the Compensation Committee; and 3,750 were awarded for his service on the Audit Committee.  The date of award was a federal holiday; on February 21, 2006, the next trading day, the closing price of the subject shares was $0.41 per share.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Frank Cesario, Attorney-In-Fact for Thomas L. Powers</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-02-24</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
