<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-09-11</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000749660</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ICAD INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>icad</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000902740</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HOWARD ROBERT</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>303 EAST 57TH STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>

        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Convertible Revolving Credit Promissory Note</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>3.18</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-09-11</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionTotalValue>
                    <value>1000000</value>
                </transactionTotalValue>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>1000000</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2003-09-11</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>314465</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <valueOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1000000</value>
                </valueOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>

    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The exercise price of the convertible Revolving Credit Promissory Note (the &quot;Note&quot;) is the lesser of (i) the closing sales price of the underlying common stock on the date the funds under the Note were advanced to the issuer ($3.18 as noted above) or (ii) the closing sales price of the common stock on the business day immediately preceding the conversion date of the Note.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The Note does not have an expiration date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The number of shares reported as issuable upon exercise of the Note is based upon the $3.18 per share conversion price.  The number of shares is subject to increase pursuant to the terms of the Note as discussed in footnote (1) above.</footnote>
    </footnotes>


    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Annette Heroux, Attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-09-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

