A medical imaging apparatus for combined X-ray and optical visualization is provided. It comprises: an X-ray detector positioned above a patient； an X-ray source positioned below a patient； a control device； and a camera setup adapted to deliver an optical stereoscopic or 3D image. Thereby, the camera setup is positioned adjacent to the X-ray detector above the patient, and the control device is adapted to calculate an optical 2D image or a 3D surface from the data delivered by the camera setup, that optical 2D image or 3D surface having a virtual viewpoint similar to the viewpoint of the X-ray source. It is further adapted to superimpose an X-ray image acquired by the X-ray detector and the optical 2D image or 3D surface in order to achieve an augmented optical/X-ray image.
