Pope Leo XIV arrived at Gemelli Hospital in western Rome on Tuesday ahead of a scheduled operation to remove a lung nodule, according to the Vatican.

The ​‌⁠​‍‍⁠⁠‍​‍‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌​head of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics arrived in a black car accompanied by a police escort.

The procedure was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, with the Vatican saying the operation would be performed by a thoracic surgery team led by Stefano Margaritora. An exact time was not initially confirmed.

The 71-year-old pontiff announced on Sunday that doctors had discovered a “nodule in the lung.”

The nodule was detected during checks at a “very early stage” and was “well localised.”

“The doctors consider an operation appropriate,” Mr Leo said, adding that he decided to follow their advice and undergo surgery to have the nodule removed.

Lung nodules can have various causes, including previous inflammation or infections, benign growths, or lung cancer or metastases from tumours elsewhere in the body.

A final determination of whether a nodule is benign or malignant often requires examination of a tissue sample.

Many lung nodules discovered incidentally are not cancerous.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said Mr Leo would need about a week to recover after the procedure.

Gemelli Hospital has a wing specifically designed for papal stays. However, media reports said Pope Leo would be unable to use the papal suite because of ongoing renovation work.

(dpa/NAN)